Paris Saint-Germain made history on Saturday night, becoming only the second team since 1992 to win back-to-back Champions League titles after defeating Arsenal 4-3 in a dramatic penalty shootout at the Ferencváros Stadium in Budapest.
The match finished 1-1 after extra time, with Arsenal taking an early lead and PSG equalising through a second-half penalty. But it was Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães who cracked under pressure, smashing his spot kick over the crossbar to hand PSG the trophy.
Arsenal, playing in their first Champions League final since 2006, started brightly. The Premier League champions took a surprise lead when Marquinhos attempted a clearance that rebounded off Arsenal winger Leandro Trossard. The ball fell kindly for Kai Havertz, who ran from near the halfway line before firing a narrow-angle shot into the roof of the net.
For much of the match, Arsenal’s defence frustrated the French champions. But the breakthrough for PSG came just before the hour mark. Defender Cristhian Mosquera brought down Khvicha Kvaratskhelia inside the penalty area. After a lengthy VAR check, the referee pointed to the spot.
Ousmane Dembélé stepped up and sent Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya the wrong way, levelling the score at 1-1.
Neither side could find a winner in regular time or extra time, forcing the final to be decided from the penalty spot for the first time since 2016, when Real Madrid beat city rivals Atlético Madrid.
In the shootout, both teams traded successful spot kicks until Gabriel stepped up for Arsenal’s fifth attempt. With the score at 3-3, the Brazilian defender aimed high but watched in despair as the ball sailed over the crossbar, sparking wild celebrations among the PSG players and staff.
PSG’s victory means they join an elite group. Since the Champions League was rebranded in 1992, only Real Madrid had successfully defended the title—winning three straight between 2016 and 2018. PSG are now the second club to achieve the feat.
For Arsenal, it was a heartbreaking repeat of history. Twenty years ago, in their only previous Champions League final, they also took an early lead before losing to Barcelona. On Saturday, the script felt painfully similar.
PSG’s triumph cements their place as the dominant force in European football. After years of near misses and heavy spending, the French club have now won Europe’s biggest prize in consecutive seasons.
