4 hours ago
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It was a showpiece that held the football world in its grip, the tension mounting exponentially, everything on the line. For Paris Saint-Germain, there was the opportunity to make it clear that this is a dynastic team; the rarity of retaining a Champions League title.
For Arsenal, it was simple. Never mind the Invincibles. They stood to be immortal, a first victory in this competition to follow their first Premier League triumph since 2004. It was all set up to become the greatest season in their history.
It was a clash of styles, Arsenal defending with characteristic aggression after Kai Havertz had put them ahead in the early running, blunting PSG’s vaunted attack. Havertz had scored the winning goal in this game for Chelsea against Manchester City in 2021. Was he poised to be the hero again?
PSG rallied, Ousmane Dembélé equalising from the penalty spot in the 65th minute and it was the prompt for the gloves to come off, both teams pushing, everybody aware that it would most likely come down to one moment. When the teams could not be separated after extra time, nerves utterly shredded, it came in the penalty shootout.
It was the longest of walks for Gabriel Magalhães up to the final kick of the regulation five rounds and Arsenal’s defensive titan appeared to make it quickly. A little too quickly? His teammate, Eberechi Eze, on as a substitute, had missed the target in round two after a stuttering run only for David Raya to square it back up by denying Nuno Mendes in round three.
Gabriel had to score to keep Arsenal alive and he was delayed a bit by the referee, Daniel Siebert. Gabriel’s heart hammered. This was not the kind of set piece upon which he has built his reputation and it was all too much. He went for power and the ball was still rising as it cleared the crossbar. The PSG fans behind the goal lit red flares in celebration. Arsenal were broken.
Mikel Arteta and his players stood motionless as the golden confetti exploded, the aria played and the PSG captain, Marquinhos, hoisted the trophy towards the night sky. It had been a heroic effort from those in red but it was not enough, their first defeat in the competition this season coming at the bitter end. Arsenal’s loss to PSG in last season’s semi-final had been a part of the backstory. Harness the pain, Arteta told his players. There was only more for them.
It was an occasion that built irresistibly towards its finale, shaped by Havertz’s goal and what a goal it was. The angle looked too tight for him as he reached the left-hand side of the six-yard box after a run from halfway but it did not matter as he lashed his shot into the roof of the net. Why did Matvey Safonov have his arms low by his sides? Because the PSG goalkeeper did not expect the shot to go high. Havertz had reacted quicker than Willian Pacho to Leandro Trossard’s charging down of a Marquinhos clearance.
Arteta prioritised solidity with his selection. And why not? It had worked for him all season. The biggest call was Myles Lewis-Skelly over Martín Zubimendi in midfield, which worked out superbly. It was a night for Lewis-Skelly to remember. But all over the field there were excellent performances from Arsenal’s players.
Arteta did not mind if PSG hogged the ball. Which they did. It was about whether his team could compress the spaces and keep them at arm’s length in the final third. Whether they could stand tall in the one v ones. Which frequently became two v ones in Arsenal’s favour. Or even more than that. Arteta’s players worked tirelessly to cover for each other.
The plan worked to perfection in the first half of normal time, PSG creating next to nothing and becoming frustrated. Arsenal measured their progress in tackles. Cristhian Mosquera won a big one against Khvicha Kvaratskhelia while Gabriel made a series of them. He was a one-man wrecking crew. Arsenal also flickered on the transitions. After Lewis-Skelly surged upfield in the 26th minute, Bukayo Saka crossed low and almost found Trossard. When Martin Ødegaard played in Havertz on 45 minutes, PSG needed a blocking challenge from Marquinhos.
PSG told themselves to stay patient. The equaliser would come as long as they worked their patterns and rotations. Even if their opponents were all over them like an angry rash. If only they could get in behind, which they struggled sorely to do.
When they finally did so, they felt their hopes surge. Kvaratskhelia played the give-and-go with Dembélé and, at last, he was goal-side of Mosquera, whose challenge was clumsy. It was an obvious penalty and perhaps a second yellow card for Mosquera, who had been booked for time-wasting on 47 minutes. He was spared the double punishment. Dembélé’s conversion was low into the corner.
Arteta’s response was bold. Jurriën Timber for Mosquera. And, more dramatically, Viktor Gyökeres for Ødegaard. Arsenal came out of their shells and there were moments when a better final ball might have led to real possibilities. Especially towards the end of regulation time when one substitute, Gabriel Martinelli, missed a pass for another, Noni Madueke.
PSG’s defending came to look a little last-ditch but they threatened at the other end. Before the end of normal time, Kvaratskhelia had stormed away and watched Lewis-Skelly deflect his shot against the outside of the near post while Vitinha whipped narrowly over when well placed. Bradley Barcola, on for Kvaratskhelia, menaced with his jet-heeled pace on the counter.
Arsenal’s regrets took in the moment during the first period of extra time when Madueke flicked on the afterburners and worked a half-yard on the outside against Mendes. The pair grappled and they wrestled before Madueke went down and Mendes fell on top of him. No penalty, said Siebert, which was just about the right decision. Arteta was booked for his furious reaction. So was Declan Rice.
Luis Enrique made changes for the second additional period, taking off Marquinhos and Vitinha. His star count dwindled. Achraf Hakimi took over the captain’s armband. Désiré Doué took on greater responsibility. The emotion was extraordinary. Gyökeres almost stole it at the very end with a shot that deflected wide. Then came the penalties.
