Paris Saint-Germain are back-to-back European champions. Luis Enrique’s team defeated Arsenal 4-3 on penalties after the Champions League final, hosted at the Ferenc Puskas Stadium in Budapest, ended in a 1-1 draw after regular time and extra time.
Contrary lives, Arsenal lost the second final they participated in after 2006 in Paris, when they were defeated 2-1 by Barcelona, and only Atletico Madrid is higher among the teams that have never won the trophy, losing all three finals they participated in.
For his part, Paris’ architect, Luis Enrique, now has three Champions League trophies after having also won it with Barcelona.
The match, for the first time in the history of the competition with an English and French team as opponents, began with the (retiring) European champion having lined up the same 10 players that had started in last year’s final against Inter, against the only undefeated team of this year’s competition (11 wins, 3 draws, 6 goals conceded) and the goalkeeper (Raja) who had kept his goal unbeaten 9 times.
Luck was generously offered to the “Gunners” at the start of the match. It was only the 6th minute when Marquinhos, trying to clear, sent the ball into the body of Trossard to come out… an assist to Havertz, who traveled about 30 meters and from a difficult angle (left) “executed” Safonov for 1-0.
At the same time as opening the scoring, the German international scored his second goal in a Champions League final with a different team, as in 2021 he had given Chelsea the title (1-0) against Manchester City. Even more rare, Havertz did it with two teams from the same city (London). Before him, only two had preceded him, Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Real Madrid) and Mario Mandzukic (Juventus, Bayern Munich).
Arsenal then took measures against Paris, who until the end of the half had overwhelming possession but no ideas and clear minds, trapped in the defensive grip and the impenetrable tactics of Arteta’s team. The only moment when the French really threatened was recorded in the 43rd minute, with Mendes passing Mosquera and turning towards Ruiz, who headed the ball out.
The Londoners missed a great opportunity to double their lead in injury time (45’+3), when, due to the collaboration between Mosquera, Saka, Odegaard and the latter’s vertical pass, Havertz failed to score as his attempted shot was saved by Marquinhos.
With Paris’ attacking trump cards (Dembele, Kvaratskelia, Due) blocked, it was obvious that only an individual action could bring imbalance and bring the goal. That is exactly what happened in the 62nd minute, when after the “1-2” played by Due and Kvaratskelia, the Georgian left behind (weak link) Mosquera, who overturned him.
Zibert showed the white dot without hesitation but did not show a card to the “offender” (it would have been the second) and Dembele, with an elusive shot into the right corner, equalized in the 65th minute and at the same time broke the tradition that had been created over the last eight years and only wanted one team to score (Real Madrid-Liverpool 3-1 in 2018).
Enrique’s team tried to take advantage of the momentum of the moment and in the 77th minute came within a breath of an upset, with Quaratschellia entering the penalty area and passing, the ball finding Lewis-Skelly, hitting Raya’s right post and going for a corner.
Against an Arsenal team that was mainly careful not to leave open spaces, Paris had two more great moments to turn the game around, in the 89th minute with Vitinia’s shot almost touching the crossbar and in stoppage time (90’+7) with Barcolas, who went on the counterattack but executed incorrectly from a wide position.
The score remained 1-1, the final went to extra time and in the 102nd minute Arsenal protested a penalty for a “hug” between Mandweke and Nuno Mendes, who were pulled together in the area. This was the only moment that “lit up the blood” in the extra half hour, with the game ultimately being decided on penalties.
THE PROCEDURE Gonzalo Ramos (Paris Saint-Germain) 1-0 Gioceres (Arsenal) 1-1 Due (Paris Saint-Germain) 2-1 Eze (Arsenal) Out Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain) Save Raya Reis (Arsenal) 2-2 Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain) 3-2 Martinelli (Arsenal) 3-3 Beraldo (Paris Saint-Germain) 4-3 Gabriel (Arsenal) Out
REFEREE : Daniel Zibert
YELLOWS : Neves, Mendes – Mosquera, Saka, Giokeres, Rice
PARIS SAINT GERMAIN (Luis Enrique) : Safonov, Hakimi, Marquinhos (106′ Zambarni), Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Fabian Ruiz (95′ Zaire-Emery), Vitinha (106′ Beraldo), Joao Neves, Quaratsquelia (83′ Barcola), Douet, Dembele (90’+6 Gonzalo Ramos).
ARSENAL (Mikel Arteta) : Raya, Lewis-Skelly (90’+1 Thubimendi), Gabriel, Saliba, Enkapie, Mosquera (66′ Timber), Odegaard (67′ Gjokeres), Rice, Trossard (83′ Martinelli), Havertz (91′ Eze), Saka (83′ Mandueque).