Osamagbe Imadiyi
Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi’s goals in Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the second leg of their last-four match secured a 3-1 aggregate victory for Paris Saint-Germain, guaranteeing them a spot in the Champions League final. After surviving an early barrage from the visitors, PSG took the lead when Ruiz crashed in a shot from the area’s edge in the 27th minute at the Parc des Princes.
Following Ousmane Dembele’s goal in the first leg last week, PSG had already taken the lead in the match when Vitinha’s penalty was saved in the second half. Even though Bukayo Saka made a comeback for the visitors, Hakimi’s goal in the 72nd minute put Arsenal out of the match. PSG will face Inter Milan in the second Champions League final in their history on May 31 in Munich, five years after losing to Bayern Munich in Lisbon. Meanwhile, 19 years after losing to Barcelona in Paris, Arsenal’s European dream ended when they failed to make it to what would have been their second final. Mikel Arteta’s team is still without a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, so their only remaining goal is to finish in second place in the Premier League for the third time in a row.
PSG was able to celebrate reaching a final in front of their supporters for the first time after their victory over RB Leipzig in the 2020 final four was played behind closed doors due to the pandemic, and the entire evening in Paris was electrifying. The atmosphere in and around the stadium before the game was intense, but PSG has failed miserably in significant Champions League matches numerous times in the past ten years.
