It ended, as these things so often do, with a penalty blazing over a crossbar and a Brazilian defender sinking to his knees on the Budapest turf. Paris Saint-Germain are back-to-back Champions League winners. Arsenal’s wait to become European champions goes on.
It was the first-ever major European final between clubs from France and England — the stadium decked half in red and white, half in red and blue. It deserved better than to be settled by a shootout. But football rarely deals in fairness, and last night in Budapest was no exception.
How it unfolded
Arsenal could hardly have started better. Just six minutes in, Kai Havertz went through on goal and fired home — and it was 1-0 to The Arsenal at the break. It was a thunderbolt of an opener from a player who knows how to score on the biggest occasions, having previously fired Chelsea to Champions League glory against Manchester City five years ago almost to the day.
But PSG, as holders and as the most dominant team in European football this season, were never going to lie down. The momentum shifted firmly their way, and they came within inches of taking the lead after 77 minutes — William Saliba misjudged a long ball over the top and Kvaratskhelia had Raya’s goal in sight before Myles Lewis-Skelly wonderfully intervened to send the Georgian’s strike onto the post.
The equaliser came on 65 minutes. Ousmane Dembélé converted a penalty to send the game to extra time — and with it came the creeping sense that history might be about to repeat itself. In 2006, Arsenal led in their only previous Champions League final before Barcelona struck two late goals. Arsène Wenger, the man who took them there, watched on pensively from the stands.
The 30 minutes of extra time came and went, with Viktor Gyokeres nearly grabbing a winner with 10 seconds to go. It wasn’t to be. A shootout was required.
The shootout
PSG landed the first psychological blow of the penalty shootout when they won the coin toss, with the kicks taken in front of their supporters at one end of the Puskás Aréna.
Eze dragged his spot-kick wide to put Arsenal immediately on the back foot, before David Raya provided a lifeline when he saved from Nuno Mendes. Gabriel Martinelli scored with ease, blasting his shot into the net to keep Arsenal alive. With the shootout locked at 3-3, Lucas Beraldo sent Raya the wrong way — and then Gabriel stepped up.
The Brazilian defender had been brilliant all match — but sent his penalty blazing over the bar. PSG won 4-3. The Champions League trophy stayed in Paris.
What the stats tell you
The scoreline flattered Arsenal. The numbers are merciless: PSG had 74% possession, 21 shots on goal to Arsenal’s seven, and an expected goals count of 1.77 to 0.44. Safonov, the PSG keeper, made zero saves because he faced only one shot on target throughout the entire match.
Two teams came to win in Budapest, but only PSG came to play — and lucky for them, it worked in their favour. Arsenal’s gameplan of defending deep and hitting on the counter almost worked. Almost.
What it means for PSG
PSG became only the second team since the competition was restructured in 1992 to defend the Champions League — after Real Madrid. The victory also secured Luis Enrique’s third Champions League title as a coach — a remarkable achievement for a manager who has revolutionised a club that spent decades buying superstars and falling short on the European stage.
PSG are just the second team this century to win the Champions League in back-to-back seasons. Marquinhos lifted the trophy for the second year in a row. For a club that has chased this trophy for the best part of two decades, back-to-back titles is vindication of everything Luis Enrique has built.
What it means for Arsenal
Heartbreak — but not shame. Arsenal reached their first Champions League final in 20 years, won the Premier League title in the same season, and played some of the most compelling football in Europe across the campaign. Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal to be “very ambitious” this summer as he marvels at PSG’s quality — and the sense around north London is that this squad, with refinements, will be back.
It felt as though history could be repeating for the Gunners — who led on their sole visit to the Champions League final in 2006 only to see the opposition strike late. In the end it wasn’t late goals but a penalty shootout that did them in. Different method. Same brutal outcome.
The parade is still happening today. The Premier League trophy is real. But somewhere in Budapest last night, Gabriel’s penalty sailed over a crossbar — and a generation of Arsenal fans felt it in their chest.
This one will hurt for a while.