It was an extraordinary night in Budapest. Paris Saint-Germain, reigning champions after their triumph over Inter Milan last year, aimed to secure a consecutive UEFA Champions League title on Saturday, May 30. However, manager Luis Enrique’s squad faced a formidable challenge from Arsenal’s Gunners, who deployed their signature strategy: an impenetrable defense coupled with select, incisive attacks. The match proved to be an uphill battle for PSG, right up until the decisive penalty shootout.
The opening minutes of the final certainly set the tone for this peculiar encounter. Just six minutes in, a Parisian clearance rebounded off Leandro Trossard’s arm, inadvertently turning into a perfect assist. Kai Havertz seized the opportunity, racing towards PSG goalkeeper Matveï Safonov. Havertz, who had previously scored in the 2021 Champions League final for Chelsea, unleashed a powerful strike, giving the English side an early lead.
Despite this early setback, the Paris Saint-Germain players remained resolute, immediately pushing for an equalizer. However, Arsenal’s central defender Gabriel made a crucial intervention, dispossessing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia just meters from the goal. The Gunners’ defensive solidity was further highlighted around the half-hour mark when William Saliba, the other half of Arsenal’s central defensive pairing, executed a masterful tackle to halt Désiré Doué’s dangerous run into the box.
PSG struggled against Arsenal’s well-drilled strategy
The game quickly settled into a predictable pattern, reflecting the two teams’ contrasting philosophies: PSG dominated possession with approximately 80% of the ball, while the Gunners defended deep, awaiting opportunities for swift counter-attacks and effectively managing the clock during every restart. This was the very tactic that had seen Arsenal remain undefeated throughout their Champions League campaign, conceding only six goals en route to the final.
At halftime, Arsenal held their lead, having registered only one shot on target and completed a mere 69 passes in the first period – a record low for this stage of the competition. Paris, meanwhile, appeared unable to inject any dynamism into their play, with the immense talents of stars like Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia effectively nullified by the pragmatic English system.
The second half largely mirrored the first, though the referee began to penalize some of Arsenal’s more exaggerated time-wasting tactics as they sought to grind out the victory. Yet, this PSG squad is renowned for its resilience. A foul on “Kvara” by Spanish defender Cristhian Mosquera inside the penalty area provided a lifeline. Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé calmly converted the spot-kick in the 65th minute, drawing the teams level.
This equalizer finally prompted Arsenal to adopt a more attacking posture, opening up the game for both sides. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia nearly capitalized on a counter-attack in the final fifteen minutes, striking the post. Shortly after coming on as a substitute, Bradley Barcola almost got to the ball ahead of Arsenal’s goalkeeper in the 85th minute after a blistering run.
Safonov emerges as the hero
In keeping with the bizarre nature of this match, played at an unusual tempo between two teams that often seemed to be playing different sports, injury time delivered a truly surreal sequence. Ousmane Dembélé, suffering from cramps, struggled in the English penalty area as his teammates circulated the ball, seemingly still searching for a breakthrough. Despite one final surge, again initiated by a long run from Barcola, the score remained level, forcing the match into extra time. Even then, despite a few anxious moments, neither side could find the decisive goal.
The outcome: for the first time in a decade, since Real Madrid’s victory over Atlético, the Champions League final was decided by a penalty shootout. It was in this high-pressure scenario that the Parisians emerged victorious, sealing their triumph thanks to Gabriel’s miss against Matveï Safonov.
Earlier in the shootout, a miss by Arsenal’s Eze had briefly given Paris an advantage, though the opposing goalkeeper subsequently saved Nuno Mendes’s attempt. However, the Parisians, utterly transformed since Luis Enrique’s arrival, have become unstoppable in penalty shootouts, claiming their sixth consecutive victory in such a scenario.
Having become only the second French club to lift football’s ultimate club trophy last year, following Olympique de Marseille, PSG now stands alone as the sole French team to possess two “big-eared” cups. On this Saturday night, Paris Saint-Germain unequivocally reigns supreme at the pinnacle of European football.
