Confident performance against Arsenal: PSG follows Inter into the CL final
Thanks to a 2-1 win in the second leg against Arsenal (first leg 1-0), Paris St. Germain FC deservedly follows Inter Milan into the 2025 Champions League final.
Fabian Ruiz (center) turns away in celebration after his spectacular goal to make it 1-0 against Arsenal. IMAGO/PsnewZ
PSG coachLuis Enrique rotated almost entirely back from the 1-2 defeat at Racing Strasbourg . The only new player in the starting lineup compared to the 1-0 first leg was Barcola, who replaced the injured London striker, Dembelé (bench).
Arsenal also made a change after the first leg: Coach Mikel Arteta was able to rely on Thomas again (after a yellow card suspension), so Merino returned from midfield to the center of attack, pushing Trossard to the bench. Merino, like Timber, for whom White played, was given a rest in the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth at the weekend.
Unlike in the first leg, this time Arsenal emerged from the dressing room wide awake and almost overwhelmed the home side. First, Rice headed a shot just wide (3'), then Donnarumma made a powerful save from Gabriel Martinelli (4'), and then just as skillfully from a powerful shot from Odegaard (8'). The Gunners' inability to convert chances had already been a problem in London.
And once again, the lack of finishing ability—especially without the long-term injured Havertz and Gabiel Jesus—would take its toll. As the game progressed, PSG became more dangerous. Kvaratskhelia hit the post with Paris's first clear chance (17').
In the 27th minute, the moment finally arrived: After a free kick caused by Rice, Thomas made an inadequate clearance. Fabian got to the ball and coolly fired home to make it 1-0. Shortly afterward, Raya even prevented Barcola from scoring a brace for the home side, who nevertheless went into the break with a comfortable lead.
After an uneventful first 20 minutes after the break, in which Arsenal lacked the edge against a waiting French side, the game suddenly became more lively again: Saka forced Donnarumma into another outstanding save with a curling shot (64th minute). At the other end, after a VAR and video review by the referee team led by Felix Zwayer, Paris were awarded a handball penalty because Lewis-Skelly had touched a Hakimi shot with his raised hand. Vitinha, however, was denied a weakly taken penalty by Raya (65th minute).
Three minutes later, however, the moment finally arrived: After a lapse in concentration from Thomas, Hakimi scored the 2-0 after a one-two with substitute Dembelé (72'). The game was decided? Not quite yet, because a few minutes later, Saka finally scored the Gunners' first goal of the two-legged match after Trossard's pass from the left and an unfortunate deflection off Dembelé (76').
Saka misses spectacularly
It was also Saka who could have made the match even more exciting just a few minutes later. But the England international fired a fierce cross from around eight meters over the completely empty Paris goal (80'). And so the French held on to their two-goal lead after the first leg with a comfortable finish.
