Havertz Reveals Doubts Over Arsenal's Premier League Parade After UCL Loss

ArsenalTeam·Arsenal forward Kai HavertzPlayer·Kai Havertz has revealed his initial belief that the club would call off their Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League title parade, following a devastating defeat in the UEFA Champions League final. The Gunners had suffered a "heartbreaking" loss to Paris Saint-GermainTeam·Paris Saint-Germain in BudapestVenue·Budapest, decided by penalties, just hours before the planned celebration.

“To be honest, it was tough. After the match, I initially thought we would call the whole thing off. By the next morning, things looked different,” Havertz told The Guardian. Despite the immediate disappointment, the decision was made to proceed with the parade, which ultimately drew an estimated 1.5 million fans to North London.

The parade served as a vital moment for ArsenalTeam·Arsenal to celebrate their significant achievement: securing the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League title for the first time in 22 years. The club clinched the championship on May 19, 2026, with a game to spare, after rivals Manchester CityTeam·Manchester City drew 1-1 with Bournemouth. This triumph marked their 14th league title overall, a testament to a season of consistent performance.

Havertz underscored the importance of acknowledging the domestic success. “We had a huge season behind us. The club had gone 22 years without a league title so that had to be celebrated properly with the fans.” The emotional contrast between the elation of the league win and the agony of the Champions LeagueCompetition·Champions League final, which occurred just 11 days after securing the Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League, created a unique atmosphere for the celebrations.

Midfielder Declan RicePlayer·Declan Rice also commented on the demanding schedule faced by the squad, describing it as “obscene” but expressing a willingness to endure it for such successes. “You'd play as many games as possible to have that feeling again, knowing that there's a World Cup at the end of it as well,” Rice stated.

ArsenalTeam·Arsenal concluded the 2025/26 Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League season in first place with 85 points, boasting a record of 26 wins, 7 draws, and 5 losses. Their strong finish included winning their last five consecutive Premier LeagueCompetition·Premier League matches. While the league title brought immense joy, the season also saw them as runners-up in the EFL CupCompetition·EFL Cup and reaching the FA CupCompetition·FA Cup quarter-finals, highlighting a campaign filled with both glory and near misses.