Paris Saint-Germain shines again in the Champions League and eliminates the giant Bayern Munich, securing a place in the final against Arsenal, in a clash that promises to ignite Budapest on May 30. The second leg of the semi-finals, held at the Allianz Arena, was a true thriller, with Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé scoring just 3 minutes in, putting PSG in a privileged position to advance in the competition.
Georgian prodigy Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was decisive in creating the play that unlocked the scoring, with a perfect combination with Fabián Ruiz that left Dembélé alone in front of Neuer, finishing with class and putting PSG ahead. Harry Kane’s late response, in stoppage time, was not enough to save the Bayern, who dreamed of a historic treble (Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions), but ended up eliminated with an aggregate score of 6-5, after the 1-1 draw in Germany was added to the 5-4 victory at Parc des Princes.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi, president of PSG, did not hide his satisfaction: “It’s magnificent, two finals. Now we go to Budapest to try to win the second star. I told the players that we are warriors.” The French leader, who won the Champions League last season with a resounding victory over Inter Milan, remains ambitious to repeat the feat and claim European glory for the second consecutive time.
PSG’s defense was relentless, containing the fierce attack of Bayern, which features names like Kane, Luis Díaz, and Michael Olise. João Neves, PSG’s midfielder, emphasized the team’s mentality: “We know how to suffer and we are prepared for whatever comes. We are very proud of the path we have taken.” Bayern’s dominance in possession did not translate into enough goals, while the effectiveness of the Parisians spoke louder.
Despite the controversies in the match, such as the dispute among Bayern players over the card given to Nuno Mendes and a supposed penalty for handball by Vitinha, the officiating by João Pinheiro maintained calm and control of the game. PSG capitalized on their opportunities, with Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doué keeping Manuel Neuer on alert during the second half.
This reunion in Munich brought to mind the last Champions League final in which PSG delivered a historic 5-0 thrashing to Inter. With a relatively stable and experienced team, Paris Saint-Germain is more than prepared to dream of winning the European title for the second consecutive time.
On the other side, Arsenal is gearing up to face PSG after securing its first Champions League final in 20 years, having eliminated Atlético de Madrid with a 1-0 victory at home, closing the aggregate at 2-1. The final promises to be a high-level spectacle, with two teams hungry for glory going head-to-head.
European football is in turmoil, and this final between PSG and Arsenal could be the most explosive chapter of this season’s Champions League. Football fans worldwide will not want to miss a match that is sure to make history in the beautiful game. On May 30, Budapest will be the stage where it will be decided who will be the king of Europe in 2026.
This article first appeared on Apito Final.
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