Arsenal lost the Champions League final on penalties to PSG as the final in Budapest was forced to be decided from 12 yards after extra-time was unable to separate the two teams
Arsenal are heartbroken after losing the Champions League final on penalties to PSG as the dream of a first European trophy and a historic double ended in tears.
The Gunners had the perfect start when Kai Havertz continued his record of scoring in Champions League finals when he produced a brilliant finish after just four minutes. Arsenal stood firm but PSG equalised thanks to an Ousmane Dembele penalty in the 65th minute. However, it was Gabriel’s missed penalty that meant the Paris giants are only the second club to defend their crown in the Champions League era.
Arsenal have banished the ghosts of Paris 20 years ago after they were defeated in their only other previous Champions League final. The Gunners led for 40 minutes in that final despite playing with 10 men until Barcelona scored twice in four minutes to lift the trophy. And today, it was an hour.
20 years ago, Arsenal took the lead and after just five minutes Havertz raced away on goal thanks to a fortunate deflection to repeat history. Leandro Trossard blocked Marquinhos’ clearance with his arms, turning the ball into the path of the German.
Trossard’s arms were tucked in front of his chest, and correctly, VAR did not review the incident despite the consequences of the touch ultimately assisting Havertz. However, the man who scored Chelsea’s winner in the 2021 Champions League final, finished off his run emphatically, smashing the ball high into the roof of Matvey Safonov’s net.
Another handball shout went up from the Parisiens after the ball struck Bukayo Saka’s arm twice in the penalty box as he made a meal of his clearance. But the low-bar against handball offences in Europe, thankfully, appeared to have been scrapped for the final.
The early start could not have gone any better for Arteta and Arsenal’s tactic to suck the life out of the game worked to perfection in the first-half. With all due respect, it probably created the ugliest final and game plan ever as Arteta’s side dug in and made PSG probe for openings. But despite their creativity, the defending champions couldn’t figure out how to penetrate the defence.
PSG’s first shot on target came in added time at the end of the first-half when Fabian Ruiz fired a volley in from closer to the touchline than the 18-yard box.
But all credit to Arsenal, the shape was perfect and PSG had no idea how to combat it. Their key forwards were having to drop wide and deep to see the ball and their stars were losing their heads through frustration. It wasn’t just in defence either, Arsenal’s midfield went man for man to continuously press and force back their opposite numbers.
Speaking at half-time, Nedum Onuoha said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “Arsenal’s defensive shape is superb and they are defending well everywhere. They are doubling up out wide and, every time there is the threat of a shot, the PSG player is put under pressure. If PSG have got into the Arsenal area, then there have been some significant tackles too.
“From a former defender’s point of view, Arsenal are incredibly well organised. It’s not just their defenders who are defending well, it is their midfielders and attackers too.”
PSG picked up the pace in the second half but still looked void of ideas, with a 25-yard free-kick strike from Achraf Hakimi the only effort on target in the opening 20 minutes of the restart. But the third shot on target proved to be the equaliser from the penalty spot.
Arsenal were finally penetrated by a quick one-two that released Kvaratskhelia through on goal after he got the better of Cristian Mosquera. The Spaniard was desperate and lunged to bring the Georgian down, and was fortunate not to receive a second yellow card. Dembele stepped up from 12 yards and sent Raya the wrong way to level the game.
The goal truly gave us a game worthy of the occasion as the play stretched and opened up seeing Arsenal have their first sights of goal since the opening minutes of the game while Kvaratskhelia saw a shot deflected onto the post by Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Despite both clubs risking losing the game in a bid to win it, the final went to extra-time with Bradley Barcola wasting the chance to win the cup with the final kick of the game.
Arteta moved to his bench at the start of the additional 30 minutes. Saka, Mosquera, Trossard and Havertz had all been replaced for Noni Madueke. Jurrien Timber. Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli, respectively. But extra-time forced Lewis-Skelly to be replaced by Martin Zubimendi. The 19-year-old continued his resurgence in midfield by expertly containing PSG’s stars from a deeper midfield role.
The first-half of extra-time passed by without drama until Madueke went down in the box under pressure from Nuno Mendes. Referee Daniel Siebert waved away the furious Arsenal complaints that continued on to the point where Declan Rice and Arteta were both booked for their protests.
Tired legs were unable to muster up the quality to win the game and penalties had to decide the outcome. However, Eberechi Eze and Gabriel both missed the target from the spot as Arteta’s only wrong decision of the game cruelly came in the shootout when selecting his five takers as the likes of technical astute Martin Zubimendi and forward Noni Madueke weren’t selected.