Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) weathered one attack after another and demonstrated incredible adaptation at home on Wednesday, holding off and defeating an inspired Arsenal 2-1 to advance to the UEFA Champions League final, gaining another chance at a prize the squad so wants.
PSG appeared shaky early in the second leg of the semifinals, deprived of their normal ball possession. But the hosts found answers by relying on counterattacks, and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, to advance 3-1 on aggregate.
PSG reached the final of Europe’s top club tournament for only the second time in history (they finished second five years ago), and they did so in the first season after superstar striker Kylian Mbappe left for Real Madrid.
The massive void left by Mbappe was not filled by another superstar, a significant shift on a team where owners had spent lavishly for more than a decade to recruit big names like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi, and Neymar.
The club’s new approach enabled coach Luis Enrique to assemble a revitalized, rock-solid squad that plays some of the best football in Europe.
“I said from the first day that our goal was to work hard enough to be in a position to make history – and that remains our goal, to be the first to win the long-awaited trophy,” Enrique told reporters. “This is a project that has evolved since last year, and I feel very comfortable here as a coach because I have the freedom and support from the president to build what we want, adapting to the market to put together a team that improves every day.”
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Arsenal, on the other hand, bowed out disappointed after failing to recover from a 1-0 deficit in the first leg in London the previous week.
In His Words
“We believe in our coach and we believe in our players – in our talented, young, hungry players,” PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi told CBS Sports. “They battle for the team, they die for the jersey, that’s the most important, for the city, for the club. There is still one match to go.”
The French home team broke the deadlock in the 27th minute with a set piece after Arsenal’s defenders cleared a free kick at the perimeter of the area. The ball bounced back into the path of Fabian Ruiz, who sent a fantastic half-volley into the back of the net.
Achraf Hakimi curled in a beautiful finish in the 72nd minute to make it 2-0, before Bukayo Saka equalized for the Gunners.
Arsenal struggled in the first few minutes last week in London, unable to cope with PSG’s intensity in midfield, and lost 1-0.
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