Paris Saint-Germain claimed back-to-back Champions League triumphs with a 4-3 shoot-out win over Arsenal following a 1-1 draw after extra time on Saturday evening with Eberechi Eze and Gabriel missing from the spot.
Mikel Arteta’s Premier League champions showed great resilience to take the game beyond 120 minutes in Budapest, but fell to a second final defeat, 20 years after their first against Barcelona in 2006.
Luis Enrique’s side became only the second besides Real Madrid to win the competition in consecutive years in the Champions League era.
”It is even bigger because we knew of the difficulties of playing against Arsenal, and for us as a team and a city it is incredible to win it,” Luis Enrique told broadcaster Canal Plus.
PSG’s first triumph was 55 years in the making, 14 of those under Qatari ownership, the second could start what they hope is a period of dominance and dynasty-building.
”It was Real Madrid and now it’s us too,” PSG midfielder Fabian Ruiz told Movistar.
”They defended all through the game and football is fair… today the right team won.”
As soon as the final whistle blew, the Parc des Princes – packed to capacity and where the match was shown on six giant screens – erupted in celebration.
Fireworks lit up the pitch as more than 48 000 PSG supporters chanted “Champions of Europe” and “back-to-back”.
Cheers, car horns and the sound of firecrackers also echoed through the streets of the French capital. Nearly 100 000 people are expected to attend a victory parade near the Eiffel Tower on Sunday.
Luis Enrique rebuilt the team swiftly and efficiently, removing the club’s superstars and building a cohesive and committed attacking side, capable of shredding opposition with terrifying pace.
It was the Spaniard’s third Champions League triumph, making him one of only five coaches to complete a hat-trick — the first coming with Barcelona in 2015.
For a while it looked unlikely as Kai Havertz powered Arsenal ahead after six minutes but Ousmane Dembele’s penalty midway through the second half took a tight game to extra time and ultimately spot-kick.
”It’s gutting, it’s devastating to lose the Champions League final on penalties,” Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice told TNT Sports.
”Giving it absolutely everything up until this point, we took the game to penalties and it’s a lottery.”
Arsenal will still have a victory parade on Sunday after landing the English title for the first time in 22 years, but it will be tinged with regret after defeat in Hungary.
Luis Enrique selected 10 of the side which demolished Inter Milan 5-0 in last year’s final as PSG finally lifted the trophy they so badly craved.
In Arsenal’s only prior final 20 years ago German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off in the opening stages as they were defeated.
They got off to a far better start at the Puskas Arena, with Lehmann’s compatriot Havertz firing the Gunners ahead after just six minutes.
Havertz, who scored the winning goal in Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League final victory, could not believe his luck after Marquinhos’s attempted clearance hit Leandro Trossard and bounced into his path.
The forward galloped into open space behind PSG’s defence and from a tight angle rifled into the roof of the net
