Paris Saint-Germain advanced to the UEFA Champions League final for the first time since 2020 after securing a 2-1 win over Arsenal on Wednesday at the Parc des Princes, completing a 3-1 aggregate victory in the semifinal.
Goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi ensured the French champions booked their place in the final.
A rocket from Ruiz in the 27th minute opened the floodgates, the Spanish midfielder latching onto a loose ball outside the box and smashing a half-volley past a helpless David Raya.
Hakimi followed in the 72nd with a trademark curler after Vitinha missed a penalty just minutes earlier.
Bukayo Saka gave Arsenal faint hope with a cool finish in the 76th, but the damage was done. PSG’s early nerves gave way to a composed, clinical performance that outclassed the Gunners over two legs.
Luis Enrique’s men will face Inter Milan on May 31 in London – a clash between a club chasing its first-ever European crown and another chasing its fourth. Inter survived a seven-goal thriller with Barcelona to reach the final 7-6 on aggregate.
PSG’s return to the final comes amid a reinvention. A year after parting ways with Kylian Mbappe – and earlier, with Lionel Messi and Neymar – the Qatari-backed French giants have embraced a more balanced, team-oriented identity. It’s paid off handsomely.
This semifinal victory was PSG’s third over English opponents this season, having already eliminated Liverpool and Aston Villa en route to the final. And with Ligue 1 already wrapped up and a Coupe de France final ahead, a historic treble is suddenly within reach.
Mikel Arteta’s side burst out of the gates, creating three golden chances in the opening 10 minutes.
Declan Rice, Gabriel Martinelli, and Martin Odegaard all tested PSG's defense, but Gianluigi Donnarumma was up to the task.
Still, as in the first leg, the Gunners failed to turn early dominance into goals. And when PSG pounced on a moment of hesitation at the back, they never looked back.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia nearly doubled the lead midway through the first half, curling a shot off the post. A weak finish from Désiré Doué after a sloppy William Saliba pass could’ve made it worse before the break.
Despite a spirited second-half push and Saka’s reply, Arsenal fell short of a second-ever final appearance – their first since 2006, when they lost to Barcelona.
They bow out with pride after knocking out defending champions Real Madrid in the quarterfinals, but the late-season collapse stings.
Having also ceded the Premier League title to Liverpool, Arsenal’s dream campaign now ends with regret.
