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๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italy /Sports

PSG wins second straight Champions League title, beating Arsenal on penalties

From ANSA · () Italian

Translated from Italian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) defeated Arsenal in the Champions League final, winning the trophy for the second consecutive year via a penalty shootout.
  • Arsenal took an early lead through Havertz, but Dembelรจ equalized for PSG with a penalty in the second half.
  • Both coaches, Luis Enrique and Mikel Arteta, expressed mutual respect before the match, highlighting the high stakes and ambition of both teams.

Paris Saint-Germain secured their second consecutive Champions League title, triumphing over Arsenal in a dramatic penalty shootout in Budapest. The French champions showcased their resilience after a hard-fought final that ended 1-1 after extra time.

They deserved to win the Premier League. It was a tough battle with Manchester City, but they proved to be a high-level team.

โ€” Luis EnriquePSG coach Luis Enrique complimenting Arsenal before the Champions League final.

Arsenal drew first blood in the 6th minute when Kai Havertz capitalized on a midfield turnover, outpacing the PSG defense to score past goalkeeper Safanov. PSG found their equalizer in the 65th minute via a penalty converted by Ousmane Dembรฉlรฉ, awarded after a foul on Kvaratskhelia. The score remained deadlocked through the remainder of regular time and the subsequent extra period, forcing the match to be decided from the spot.

We are a young group with a lot of ambition. Winning tomorrow would be something historic. We remain focused, we have a top-level team in front of us.

โ€” Ousmane DembรฉlรฉPSG player Ousmane Dembรฉlรฉ expressing his team's ambition ahead of the final.

The penalty shootout proved decisive, with a missed penalty by Arsenal's Gabriel ultimately handing the trophy to PSG. This victory marks a significant achievement for the club, reinforcing their dominance in European football.

Tomorrow we will have the opportunity to write a new chapter in the history of this football team. We have to play tomorrow with a lot of clarity, a lot of courage, and an implacable desire to win. If we have these three aspects, I am sure we will be close to victory.

โ€” Mikel ArtetaArsenal coach Mikel Arteta outlining his team's mindset for the final.

Leading up to the final, both managers, PSG's Luis Enrique and Arsenal's Mikel Arteta, spoke of mutual respect. Enrique acknowledged Arsenal's Premier League triumph, calling them a "high-level team." Arteta emphasized his team's ambition, stating, "We have already won one trophy and we want the second." He urged his players to play with "clarity, courage, and an implacable desire to win."

We have already won one trophy and we want the second. We are here because we have earned the right to be here, in the way we have behaved in this competition: tomorrow on that pitch we will have to earn the right to win.

โ€” Mikel ArtetaArsenal coach Mikel Arteta emphasizing his team's desire for a second trophy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ANSA in Italian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.