- Gabriel’s failure in the shootout gives PSG a second consecutive European Cup.
- Coach Luis Enrique attributes the victory to his team’s resilience.
- “Arsenal’s Rice calls loss devastating, hails team’s progress”.
Paris St Germain held their nerve in a cagey Champions League final to retain the title by beating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties as Saturday’s hard-fought showdown ended 1-1 after extra time, cementing the French side’s status among modern European greats.
Arsenal defender Gabriel fired his kick off Matvey Safonov’s crossbar at the Puskas Arena, his failure confirming PSG as the first club to retain the trophy since Real Madrid ended their three-year reign from 2016 to 2018.
Long seen as glamorous underachievers despite vast resources, the Ligue 1 champions have now forged a dynasty under Luis Enrique, combining attacking brilliance and resilience to establish themselves as the dominant force in European football.
“It’s stronger than last year because we knew before the game how difficult it would be to play against Arsenal,” said Luis Enrique, whose team beat Inter Milan 5-0 to win Europe’s elite trophy for the first time.
“As a club and as a city it’s incredible to win, and I think we deserved it throughout the season. The final was a real battle,” added the Spanish coach.
The result left Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice devastated but proud as his side finished their European campaign without losing a game apart from losing on penalties in the final.
“It’s devastating. It’s devastating to lose a Champions League final on penalties,” he said. “But we try to take a lot of perspective on how far we’ve come as a group.
“An incredible season. Considering everything that’s happened so far. We led the game on penalties. It’s a lottery.”
The biggest stage in Europe
Eleven days after celebrating their first Premier League title in 22 years, Arsenal looked set for a maiden triumph on Europe’s biggest stage after Kai Havertz’s sixth-minute opener and an opening hour spent stifling PSG’s vaunted attack.
However, the final turned chaotic once PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé equalized from the penalty spot in the 65th minute, with the pace becoming frantic before exhaustion took the match to penalties.
Under Luis Enrique, PSG have won all six penalty shootouts they have contested. The 56-year-old has now won 12 of the 13 unique club finals he has overseen as coach.
Having brushed aside Premier League opponents by eliminating Chelsea and Liverpool, PSG faced a much sterner test against an Arsenal side playing in their second Champions League final following their defeat to Barcelona in 2006.
Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead when Marquinhos’ clearance bounced off Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard into the path of Havertz, who raced into the box and fired into the roof of the net.
He is the fourth player to score in two different European Cup or Champions League finals with two different clubs.
It was PSG’s nightmare scenario: falling behind so early against the best defense in the competition.
Arsenal lived up to their reputation as the best team without the ball and seemed perfectly happy with the scenario, overtaking Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and stifling the usual danger brought by the Georgian magician on the left flank.
PSG’s Fabian Ruiz failed to impose his usual pace in midfield and, despite possessing possession for long periods, Luis Enrique’s side struggled to create clear-cut chances.
At half-time, PSG had attacked 32 times, Arsenal three times.
Arsenal, however, were flirting with the limits with their challenges, and Cristhian Mosquera brought down Kvaratskhelia in the box, with Dembele converting the penalty to equalize with his eighth goal in the competition.
Changes in dynamics
The momentum had changed.
Jurrien Timber and Viktor Gyokeres replaced Mosquera, and Martin Odegaard and Arsenal had a more attacking mindset, but were exposed to PSG counterattacks and at the end of one, Kvaratskhelia rushed into the box, only for his left-footed effort to crash wide of David Raya’s post.
After controlling the pace in the first half, Arsenal played into PSG’s hands as the pace increased considerably, leaving too much space for Kvaratskhelia or Bradley Barcola, who replaced the Georgian winger with seven minutes remaining.
In the 89th minute, PSG almost brought the final to an abrupt end as Vitinha’s shot skimmed the top of the net. Barcola also fired over the bar after a counter-attack with what would have been the final kick of the match.
With both teams running out of steam, extra time was a case of caution, and when referee Daniel Siebert blew the whistle, Arsenal had managed just one shot on target.
Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze missed his penalty before Raya saved Nuno Mendes’ attempt. Gabriel needed to score to keep the Gunners’ hopes alive, but faced with late PSG, he fired over.
The French side were left to celebrate their European title once again, with substitute Lucas Beraldo’s goal in the penalty shootout proving the winner.
