Paris Saint-Germain retained their title in the Champions League final in Budapest, defeating Arsenal 4–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw and extra time in front of a capacity crowd at the Puskás Arena.
It marked PSG’s second triumph in the competition, while Arsenal suffered defeat in only their second final appearance since 2006 in Europe’s premier club tournament.
Luis Enrique, the Parisian side’s manager, lifted his third Champions League trophy, having previously guided Barcelona to the summit of European football in 2015.
Pre-match entertainment sets the tone
In the moments before kick-off, The Killers delivered a short performance to the packed Puskás Arena, warmly received by both sets of supporters. As the teams emerged, the fans took centre stage, each end unveiling striking and inventive displays to welcome their sides.
Arsenal kicked off in unusual fashion, with Declan Rice flicking the ball up before launching it high into the air—a move colloquially known in Hungarian football as a “candle”.
Arsenal strike first
The opening exchanges favoured the English side, and it was from one such moment that Kai Havertz gave the London club the lead. After the ball ricocheted off Leandro Trossard’s arm near the halfway line into PSG territory, Havertz reacted quickest, surged forward and drove to the edge of the six-yard box before smashing his effort beyond Matvey Safonov and in off the underside of the crossbar.
Following the goal, possession—already tilted towards PSG—became even more one-sided, reaching roughly 78–22 after 20 minutes.
Yet despite their dominance of the ball, the French champions struggled to create clear chances. Arsenal defended with discipline, retreating compactly into their own half, and when opportunities did arise, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué often overcomplicated matters, allowing defenders to clear.
A drinks break and a minor head injury to Safonov caused a lengthy stoppage midway through the half, but the pattern of the game remained unchanged. Arsenal rarely crossed the halfway line, and when they did, they quickly lost possession.
At the back, however, the London side were exceptionally solid, posing a formidable challenge even for PSG’s quick, creative and technically gifted attackers. Fabián Ruiz forced David Raya into a save from a tight angle before the break, while in the closing moments the referee denied Arsenal a corner, judging Bukayo Saka to have been time-wasting.
Penalty brings PSG level
The second half saw a more balanced contest, though Arsenal’s attacking play lacked cohesion. Havertz and Trossard frequently appeared out of sync, and the German forward struggled to impose himself, often unable to shake his marker as long balls towards him came to little.
PSG, meanwhile, sought to involve their creative players in intricate passing moves to unlock Arsenal’s defence, with Declan Rice and Myles Lewis-Skelly dropping deep to reinforce the back line.
If you missed it: Videos: Several foreign nationals detained in Budapest following multiple brawls ahead of the Champions League final
Their resistance was finally broken when Ousmane Dembélé, the Ballon d’Or winner, emphatically converted a penalty awarded for a foul on Kvaratskhelia.
Mikel Arteta responded with a double substitution, followed by two further changes around 15 minutes later, while Luis Enrique made his first alteration shortly afterwards. Despite a handful of chances, neither side could find a winner in normal time, sending the match into extra time.
Miss from the unerring proves decisive
PSG began extra time without Dembélé, who had been forced off through injury. Both sides fashioned openings, but neither could find a decisive goal, taking the contest to penalties.
Eberechi Eze was the first to falter for Arsenal, missing in the second round, though Raya immediately kept his side in it by saving Nuno Mendes’s effort. No further misses or saves followed until the fifth round, when Lucas Beraldo converted confidently for PSG, while Gabriel blasted Arsenal’s final penalty over the bar.
Check out the highlights:
Click for more sport-related articles.
