Last season they finally achieved their first triumph in the competition and now they have successfully defended it. Paris Saint-Germain footballers defeated English Arsenal in the Champions League final in Budapest on penalties (4:3), after the match ended 1:1. The decisive penalty in the fifth series was missed by stopper Gabriel, who shot over the bar. In regular time, Havertz scored in the 6th minute, and Dembélé equalized from a penalty after an hour of play.

Defending the title has so far in the modern history of the competition been achieved only by Real Madrid; now PSG joins them. They also have the ambition and quality to achieve a third consecutive triumph next year and match the feat of Real Madrid. "It's crazy, crazy. We will enjoy it to the fullest, but we will continue to work hard because we want more. We are hungry, we have a young team and ambition," shone winger Doué immediately after the match.

An interesting fact is that for the first time since 2018, both teams scored in the final, not just the winner. However, only one goal was scored on each side, so penalties had to decide the winner. The Parisians took the lead after Eze missed his shot outside the goal in the second series. However, Raya immediately saved Mendez with a jump after his left hand, and Rice equalized the series. Then they succeeded sequentially with Hakimi, Martinelli, and Beraldo. Gabriel placed the ball on the spot and knew he had to score. However, he sent the ball high over the goal, and the French team could celebrate.

Defender Gabriel of Arsenal after the missed decisive penalty. On the other hand, Arsenal, which ended a 22-year wait for a title in the domestic competition, must wait for its first European trophy in this century (it conquered the Cup Winners' Cup in 1994). "We win together and we also lose together. I am proud of this group. It was a great season, although I am naturally devastated now. But I try to look at it from a slightly different perspective," evaluated the disappointed midfielder Rice. "It was a tough match against a very good team. We must congratulate them because they had a great season," added Doué.

In the final, Arsenal led from the 6th minute

Marquinhos, on the halfway line, tried to kick the ball and only hit Trossard, unintentionally sending Havertz into a breakaway. No defender was able to stop him, so the German striker slowly reached the goal line and finished the action with an uncompromising shot from the angle under the crossbar. After Ronaldo and Mandžukić, he became only the third footballer to score in the Champions League final for two different teams – five years ago he decided the final in the Chelsea jersey against City.

After his goal, Arsenal retreated and repelled PSG's attacks one by one. When the London club tried to attack, they mostly lost the ball quickly due to the opponent's press and also because they simply did not have enough players in front. The French team dominated possession, but through the dense defense, they could not get into the penalty area, let alone to a more dangerous finish. Arsenal showed what they did in the final against Inter last year, but they did better. While last year in Munich the Parisians were on a concert, in the first half in Budapest they sometimes acted even spasmodically.

Towards the end of the first half, Mendes managed to get into the penalty area with a quick feint, but Hincapié deflected his cross, and Ruiz then headed the ball over the bar from a difficult position. The defending champions' first shot on target came shortly after a corner kick, also from the same player, but his volley hit only the center of the goal. Before that, Havertz, who had been the only goalscorer so far, had a rare chance after being pushed by Ödegaard, but Marquinhos intervened in time to block his shot.

Otherwise, the first half was not very exciting. Arsenal started the second half with the same strategy, trying to keep a clean sheet at all costs. For the first quarter of an hour, this plan seemed to be working, but after an hour of play, Dembélé passed the ball into the penalty area to Kvarachelia, who was unable to continue towards the goal because he was illegally stopped by Mosquera, and Siebert had no doubt – penalty.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Ousmane Dembélé scores a penalty in the Champions League final. He then confirmed this with a video review. Dembélé stepped up to the ball and sent it to the opposite side of where Raya dived. This moment woke up the previously sleepy final. Arsenal could no longer just defend and suddenly had to attack as well. And they showed that when they want to, they can. Saka got into a good position after a pass from Havertz, but Safonov intercepted the ball. The Parisians, on the other hand, began to threaten with quick counter-attacks, which are deadly.

Kvarachelia's shot after a nice individual run was deflected onto the post by Lewis-Skelly, and then Barcola failed twice – once Raya saved it in time, and then he missed from an angle. It was already the seventh minute of added time, and that was the end of regular time. In extra time, neither team wanted to make a mistake, and there were not many clear chances, but one moment caused a lot of emotion. Madueke fell in the penalty area after a clash with Mendes. However, despite the loud protests from the bench and the players of the London team, Siebert did not award a penalty. Arsenal then pressed their opponent in the very final moments, but they did not score, so it went to a penalty shootout.

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