Arsenal’s quest for European glory ended in disappointment as Paris Saint-Germain secured a 2-1 victory in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final, sending the French champions through to the final with a convincing 3-1 aggregate scoreline.
Early Promise Fades for Gunners
The Gunners started brilliantly at the Parc des Princes, dominating the opening 15 minutes with Declan Rice heading narrowly wide and Martin Ødegaard forcing a spectacular save from Gianluigi Donnarumma. For a brief moment, the travelling supporters dared to dream.
But football can be cruel. Against the run of play, PSG’s Fabian Ruiz delivered the first blow in the 27th minute, controlling Vitinha’s deflected set-piece on his chest before firing past David Raya with a strike that took a slight deflection off William Saliba.
Dramatic Second Half
Hope briefly flickered for Arsenal when Raya brilliantly saved Vitinha’s penalty—awarded after a contentious VAR review judged young Myles Lewis-Skelly to have handled the ball. But the reprieve proved short-lived.
Just three minutes later, PSG’s Moroccan star Achraf Hakimi capitalised on Thomas Partey’s failure to clear, burying a clinical finish into the bottom corner to make it 2-0 on the night and 3-0 on aggregate.
“We showed tremendous character in those opening minutes,” a dejected Mikel Arteta said post-match. “But at this level, moments of quality make all the difference.”
Too Little, Too Late
Bukayo Saka gave Arsenal faint hope after rounding Donnarumma following excellent work from substitute Leandro Trossard, who pounced when Marquinhos stumbled. The England star then had a golden opportunity to set up a grandstand finish but blazed over with the goal at his mercy.
“That’s football at the highest level,” said Saka afterwards. “Small margins decide everything.”
PSG’s Premier League Treble
Luis Enrique’s PSG have now completed a remarkable hat-trick of victories against Premier League opposition, having previously eliminated Liverpool and Aston Villa en route to the final. They’ll face Inter Milan at Wembley on 31st May, seeking their first-ever Champions League trophy.
For Arsenal, it’s a painful echo of their only previous Champions League final appearance—a defeat to Barcelona in Paris back in 2006. Nineteen years later, the French capital once again proved an unhappy hunting ground.
“We’ve grown tremendously through this campaign,” reflected captain Ødegaard. “This hurts now, but we’ll use this experience to come back stronger.”
With their European adventure over, the Gunners must now regroup and focus on their remaining challenge this season—the Premier League title race that remains tantalisingly poised.
