Paris Saint Germain have set up a Uefa Champions League final date with English side Arsenal after edging German champions Bayern Munich in the semi finals.
Le Parisian narrowly eliminated Bayern 6-5 on aggregate after the second leg ended 1-1 at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night.
The Bavarians, who were trailing from the first leg 5-4 and needed to respond found themselves behind as early as the third minute in the second leg. Ousmane Dembele gave PSG the lead after being set up by Kvichai Kvaratskhelia to extend their aggregate advantage by a two-goal margin.
Bayern probed in search of the equalizer but the French side were resolute in defense, yet so fluid on the ball and looked the more threatening side to score the game’s next goal.
The second half followed a similar script. Bayern Munich held on to possession for large spells of the game but could not find a way to hurt PSG.
However, in the third minute of additional time, the home side found the leveler through Harry Edward Kane whose powerful strike just from inside the penalty box went straight into the roof of the net with Safanov having no answers to the strike. The goal was Kane’s 14th in the Uefa Champions League this season but he now cannot surpass Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé’s 15.
With Bayern needing one more to force extra time, the goal was too little too late for the six-time European champions. The final whistle blew and it sparked jubilation among the PSG entourage including the fans, players and the technical team led by Luis Enrique.
After the game, Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany acknowledged that his side did not threaten enough and were not at the level needed to overcome the the defending champions. “We needed to be more decisive. Congratulations to PSG,” Kompany said in his post match interview.
PSG Make Back to Back Finals
The French champions have returned to the Champions League final and their ambition to retain their crown is still on course.
They made the final for the second time last season where they dispatched Inter Milan 5-0 to win their maiden European title and will seek to defend against Arsenal in this year’s final in Budapest on their third appearance at this stage.
Since the European Cup was rebranded to the Champions League, only Real Madrid have won the title two times in succession, with the Los Blancos winning it three in a row from the 2015/16 season to the 2017/18 season all under manager Zinedine Zidane.
PSG now look set to at least become the second team to win the European elite club competition back to back and also secure their second ever Champions League trophy.
The club’s president Nasser Al Khelaifi echoed this dream after the game.
“We have warriors, not football players. We have the best coach in the world. Our dream is to win a second UEFA Champions League.”
Nasser Al Khelaifi , PGS President
Arsenal Can Finally Dream
The Gunners will be making their second ever Champions League final appearance and it will also be their first time in exactly two decades when they were beaten by Barcelona in 2006.
This final presents them with a chance to bring home one of the prestigious trophies that has been elusive in their trophy cabinet.
Paris Saint Germain eliminated Arsenal in the semis of last season’s edition while Arsenal also beat them in the league phase of this season’s Champions League, making the final one to watch.
The final will come off on Saturday, May 30 at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary.
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