PSG Defends Champions League Crown with Thrilling Penalty Shootout Win Over Arsenal
Axios (Tổng hợp từ Al Jazeera English)
Paris Saint-Germain won their second consecutive Champions League title by defeating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties in Budapest. The match ended 1-1 after extra time, with Ousmane Dembele equalizing for PSG after Kai Havertz's early goal. The victory cements PSG's status as a European powerhouse under manager Luis Enrique.
PSG kept their composure in a tense Champions League final to defend their title with a 4-3 penalty shootout victory over Arsenal, after the teams drew 1-1 over 120 minutes. The match at the Puskas Arena in Budapest cemented the French side's status among modern European football giants.
Arsenal defender Gabriel missed the decisive penalty, sending the ball over the crossbar of goalkeeper Matvey Safonov, denying the English side a chance to level. With this result, PSG became the first club to successfully defend the title since Real Madrid's three-peat from 2016 to 2018.
Considered underdogs despite immense resources, the Ligue 1 champions have built a dynasty under manager Luis Enrique, blending attacking prowess with resilience to become a dominant force in European football.
“This feeling is stronger than last year because we knew how tough the match would be against Arsenal,” Enrique said, whose team had crushed Inter Milan 5-0 a year earlier to win their first European trophy. “As a club and a city, it's unbelievable to win, and I think we deserved it throughout the season. The final was truly a battle.”
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was heartbroken but proud of his team's European campaign without a defeat, except for the penalty shootout loss. “It hurts. It's brutal to lose a Champions League final on penalties,” he said. “But we try to see how far we've come. A great season. We gave everything up to this point. Taking it to penalties was a gamble.”
Just 11 days after winning their first Premier League title in 22 years, Arsenal seemed poised for their first European triumph after Kai Havertz opened the scoring in the 6th minute and stifled PSG's attack for the first hour. However, the final in Budapest turned chaotic when Ousmane Dembele equalized from the penalty spot in the 65th minute, the tempo became frantic before exhaustion set in, leading to penalties.
Under Enrique, PSG have won all six penalty shootouts, and the 56-year-old manager has won 12 of his 13 single-match finals. After overcoming Premier League rivals Chelsea and Liverpool en route to the final, PSG faced a sterner test from Arsenal, who were playing in their second final following a loss to Barcelona in 2006.
Arsenal took the lead when Marquinhos' clearance rebounded off Leandro Trossard to Havertz, who raced into the box and slotted home. He became the fourth player to score in two different European Cup or Champions League finals with different clubs. It was a nightmare scenario for PSG – trailing too early against the best defense in the competition.
Arsenal lived up to their reputation as the best team without the ball and seemed happy with that script, tracking Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and stifling the usual danger from the Georgian winger on the left flank. PSG's Fabian Ruiz couldn't set his usual tempo in midfield, and despite dominating possession in long spells, the French side struggled to create clear chances. By halftime, PSG had 32 attacks to Arsenal's three.
Arsenal, however, gambled in challenges, and Cristhian Mosquera fouled Kvaratskhelia in the box; Dembele converted the penalty to level with his eighth goal of the competition. The momentum shifted. Jurrien Timber and Viktor Gyokeres replaced Mosquera and Martin Odegaard. Arsenal became more attacking but left gaps for PSG counters, and on one such break, Kvaratskhelia burst into the box, only for his left-footed shot to hit David Raya's post.
After controlling first-half tempo, Arsenal fell into PSG's trap as the pace quickened, leaving too much space for Kvaratskhelia or Bradley Barcola, who replaced the Georgian with seven minutes left. In the 89th minute, PSG nearly sealed the match when Vitinha's shot grazed the crossbar. Barcola also shot over the bar after a counter-attack, the final action of regulation.
With both teams exhausted, extra time was cautious, and when referee Daniel Siebert blew the whistle, Arsenal had recorded only one shot on target. Eberechi Eze missed a penalty for Arsenal before Raya saved Nuno Mendes' effort. Gabriel had to score to keep the Gunners alive, but facing the PSG goal, he missed. The French side celebrated another European title, with substitute midfielder Lucas Beraldo's penalty becoming the decisive strike.
