Paris Saint-Germain claimed back-to-back Champions League triumphs with a 4-3 shoot-out win over Arsenal following a 1-1 draw after extra time on Saturday in Budapest. The victory saw Eberechi Eze and Gabriel miss from the spot, while PSG’s side became only the second besides Real Madrid to win the competition in consecutive years in the Champions League era.
Mikel Arteta’s Premier League champions showed great resilience to take the game beyond 120 minutes, but fell to a second final defeat, 20 years after their first in Paris against Barcelona. In that 2006 encounter, German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off in the opening stages, but the Gunners were eager to rewrite history at the Puskas Arena.
PSG’s first triumph was 55 years in the making, 14 of those under Qatari ownership, and this second title could signal the start of an era of dominance and dynasty-building. Luis Enrique rebuilt the team swiftly and efficiently, removing the club’s superstars and building a cohesive and committed attacking side, capable of shredding opposition with terrifying pace.
It was the Spaniard’s third Champions League triumph, making him one of only five coaches to complete a hat-trick, with his first coming at Barcelona in 2015. Luis Enrique selected 10 of the side which demolished Inter Milan 5-0 in last year’s final as PSG finally lifted the trophy they so badly craved.
Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber was fit after a groin injury, but his rust from over two months out led Arteta to deploy Cristhian Mosquera out of position at right-back. The coach also opted for Kai Havertz in attack over Viktor Gyokeres, and for an hour it seemed like his tactical calls would pay off as Havertz fired the Gunners ahead after just six minutes.
Havertz, who scored the winning goal in Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League final victory, benefited when Marquinhos’s attempted clearance hit Leandro Trossard and bounced into his path. The forward galloped into open space behind PSG’s defence and towards Matvey Safonov’s goal, rifling a strike into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
It was the worst possible start for PSG against a miserly Arsenal side that had conceded just six goals on the run to the final. Their disciplined defending kept the Parisians at bay with consummate ease, as Luis Enrique’s side controlled the ball but could not break through Arsenal’s defensive bastion. Gabriel Magalhaes made an excellent last-ditch challenge to pick Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s pocket, keeping the tournament’s most dynamic player quiet in the first half.
The French champions appealed for a penalty when Bukayo Saka bungled a clearance and the ball hit both his arms, but referee Daniel Siebert was unmoved. PSG were reduced to frustrated pot-shots from distance until after the break, when they moved the ball with more urgency. Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya saved from Achraf Hakimi’s bouncing free-kick, but Kvaratskhelia eventually forced a breakthrough when Mosquera bundled him down in the box.
Ousmane Dembele sent Raya the wrong way with a low penalty to level the score, marking PSG’s 45th goal of the competition and matching the all-time record. PSG almost set a new record when Kvaratskhelia hurtled down the left, but teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly deflected his shot against the post. Substitute Bradley Barcola later fired a fine chance wide on the break before the match drifted into extra time.
To a shoot-out it went, with PSG confident after already claiming three trophies on penalties this season. Declan Rice drilled home to level at 2-2 during the kicks, but after Lucas Beraldo put the Ligue 1 winners 4-3 up, Arsenal defender Gabriel was left with the fifth kick. He lashed it high over the crossbar, handing PSG the trophy and ending Arsenal’s European dreams once again.
