PSG vs Arsenal Review
PSG became the first French club to successfully retain their Champions League title by defeating Arsenal in a penalty shootout, ending the Gunners’ unbeaten streak in the tournament and shattering their hopes of winning their first major European trophy. Just six minutes into the match, the red and white section of the Puskás Aréna erupted as Marquinhos’ clearance deflected off Leandro Trossard, allowing Kai Havertz to sprint down the left flank. The German then skillfully lifted the ball into the top corner from a tight angle, scoring his second opening goal in UCL finals.
Relying on a defense that had maintained a joint-record nine clean sheets in the Champions League so far, Arsenal aimed to hold strong and secure a 12th consecutive final where the team that scored first would win. They mostly contained PSG, the tournament’s top scorers, before halftime, with only two off-target shots from Fabián Ruiz and some faint penalty appeals for a possible Bukayo Saka handball marking their first-half attempts. This pattern continued after the break until the mood shifted when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was fouled by Cristhian Mosquera while charging into the box, prompting referee Daniel Siebert to award a penalty.
Fans lit flares behind the goal as Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé confidently converted the spot-kick into the bottom-left corner, leveling the score with 25 minutes left. Kvaratskhelia then showed his determination to avoid extra time by breaking free and unleashing a powerful shot that was deflected just wide by Myles Lewis-Skelly. Despite a frantic final five minutes, including a shot from Vitinha that struck the crossbar, neither side could find a winner, leading to an additional 30 minutes of play.
PSG controlled possession throughout a rather uneventful extra time but lacked movement and energy in the attacking third. The only notable moments in the 30 minutes were Nuno Mendes’ challenge on Noni Madueke, which did not result in a penalty, and a deflected shot from Viktor Gyökeres. This led to the Champions League final being decided by penalties for the first time in a decade. The first penalty miss came from Eberechi Eze, who shot wide, but David Raya redeemed himself with an excellent save against Mendes.
With the score tied at 3-3 after four penalties each, Lucas Beraldo scored confidently, while Gabriel Magalhães missed his shot by sending it agonizingly over the bar. PSG recovered from a mediocre league phase to dominate the knockout rounds, scoring a record 45 goals in the Champions League, and added Luis Enrique to the prestigious list of managers who have won this competition three times. Meanwhile, Arsenal faced more European heartbreak, having now lost their last five continental finals and remaining the team with the most Champions League appearances without ever winning the trophy.
