PSG EDGE ARSENAL ON PENALTIES TO RETAIN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TITLE
By: Gyang Dakwo
Paris Saint Germain retained the UEFA Champions League title on Saturday night after beating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties in a tense final that ended 1-1 after extra time.
The dramatic victory at the Puskas Arena confirmed PSG as the first club to successfully defend the trophy since Real Madrid’s run of three straight titles between 2016 and 2018.
Arsenal looked on course for a famous victory after Kai Havertz gave the Premier League champions an early lead in the sixth minute. The London side controlled much of the game and kept PSG’s dangerous attack quiet for long periods.
However, the French champions found a way back into the contest when Ousmane Dembele converted a penalty in the 65th minute. The goal changed the mood of the match and both sides pushed for a winner, but neither could break the deadlock as the game went into extra time and eventually penalties.
The decisive moment came in the shootout when Arsenal defender Gabriel blasted his penalty over the crossbar, handing PSG a 4-3 victory and sparking celebrations among the French side.
The result further strengthened PSG’s growing reputation as one of Europe’s leading clubs. Once criticised for falling short on the biggest stage despite their wealth and talent, the Ligue 1 champions have now built an impressive winning culture under coach Luis Enrique.
“It’s stronger than last year because we knew before the match just how difficult it would be to play against Arsenal,” Luis Enrique said after the match.
“As a club and a city, it’s incredible to win, and I think we deserved it over the course of the season. The final was a real battle.”
The victory continued an impressive record for the Spanish coach. Under Luis Enrique, PSG have now won all six penalty shootouts they have contested, while the 56-year-old has won 12 of the 13 one-off club finals he has managed.
For Arsenal, the defeat was a painful end to an otherwise remarkable European campaign. The Gunners had lifted the Premier League title just 11 days earlier and arrived at the final dreaming of a first Champions League triumph.
Midfielder Declan Rice admitted the loss was difficult to take but praised his teammates for their progress.
“It’s gutting. It’s devastating to lose a Champions League final on penalties,” Rice said.
“But we try to take a lot of perspective from how far we’ve come as a group.”
Although Arsenal fell short at the final hurdle, they can take pride in a campaign in which they did not lose a single match in the competition before the shootout defeat.
For PSG, meanwhile, another European crown has cemented their place among the continent’s elite and confirmed their status as the team to beat.
