![\"Paris](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4JNS1TL_AFP__20260530__B4HP2GU__v1__HighRes__FblEurC1PsgArsenalFinal_jpg.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nBy Rik Sharma, AFP<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\nParis Saint-Germain’s French forward #10 Ousmane Dembele lifts the trophy after winning the UEFA Champions League final football match.
\nPhoto: ODD ANDERSEN\/AFP\n<\/p>\n
Paris Saint-Germain claimed back-to-back Champions League triumphs with a 4-3 shoot-out win over Arsenal following a 1-1 draw after extra time on Saturday, with Eberechi Eze and Gabriel missing from the spot.<\/p>\n
Mikel Arteta’s Premier League champions showed great resilience to take the game beyond 120 minutes in Budapest, but fell to a second final defeat, 20 years after their first against Barcelona in 2006.<\/p>\n
Luis Enrique’s side became only the second besides Real Madrid to win the competition in consecutive years in the Champions League era.<\/p>\n
“We are so, so proud, so happy, so grateful,” PSG winger Desire Doue told TNT Sports.<\/p>\n
“As a team, as a family, I think we deserve that… look at the fans, we are so happy.”<\/p>\n
PSG’s first triumph was 55 years in the making, 14 of those under Qatari ownership, the second could start what they hope is an era of dominance and dynasty-building.<\/p>\n
“It was Real Madrid and now it’s us too,” PSG midfielder Fabian Ruiz told Movistar.<\/p>\n
“They defended all through the game and football is fair… today the right team won.”<\/p>\n
Luis Enrique rebuilt the team swiftly and efficiently, removing the club’s superstars and building a cohesive and committed attacking side, capable of shredding opposition with terrifying pace.<\/p>\n
It was the Spaniard’s third Champions League triumph, making him one of only five coaches to complete a hat-trick — the first coming with Barcelona in 2015.<\/p>\n
![\"Arsenal's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4JNS3GG_AFP__20260530__B4HF9RP__v1__HighRes__FblEurC1PsgArsenalFinal_jpg.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
\nArsenal’s German forward #29 Kai Havertz (L) and Paris Saint-Germain’s Ecuadorian defender #51 Willian Pacho vie for the ball
\nPhoto: NICOLAS TUCAT\/AFP\n<\/p>\n
For a while it looked unlikely as Kai Havertz powered Arsenal ahead after six minutes but Ousmane Dembele’s penalty midway through the second half took a tight game to extra time and ultimately spot-kick.<\/p>\n
Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber was fit after a groin injury but his rust from over two months out led Arteta to deploy Cristhian Mosquera out of position at right-back.<\/p>\n
The coach also opted for Havertz in attack over Viktor Gyokeres, and for an hour it seemed like his calls would pay off.<\/p>\n
Luis Enrique selected 10 of the side which demolished Inter Milan 5-0 in last year’s final as PSG finally lifted the trophy they so badly craved.<\/p>\n
In Arsenal’s only prior final 20 years ago German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off in the opening stages as they were defeated.<\/p>\n
They got off to a far better start at the Puskas Arena, with Lehmann’s compatriot Havertz firing the Gunners ahead after just six minutes.<\/p>\n
Havertz, who scored the winning goal in Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League final victory, could not believe his luck after Marquinhos’s attempted clearance hit Leandro Trossard and bounced into his path.<\/p>\n
The forward galloped into open space behind PSG’s defence and towards Matvey Safonov’s goal. Havertz had a tight angle to overcome but rifled a strike into the roof of the net.<\/p>\n
It was the worst possible start for PSG against a miserly Arsenal side who had conceded just six goals on the run to the final.<\/p>\n
![\"Paris](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4JNS3S8_AFP__20260530__B4HK9KF__v1__HighRes__FblEurC1PsgArsenalFinal_jpg.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
\nParis Saint-Germain’s Portuguese midfielder #87 Joao Neves and Arsenal’s Spanish defender #36 Martin Zubimendi (back) fight for the ball
\nPhoto: FRANCK FIFE\n<\/p>\n
Their disciplined defending kept the Parisians at bay with consummate ease, as Luis Enrique’s side controlled the ball but could not break through Arsenal’s defensive bastion.<\/p>\n
Gabriel made an excellent last-ditch challenge to pick Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s pocket. The dynamic Georgian has been the tournament’s best player but in the first half was not allowed room to breathe.<\/p>\n
The French champions appealed for a penalty when Bukayo Saka bungled an attempted clearance and the ball hit both his arms, but referee Daniel Siebert was unmoved.<\/p>\n
Fighting back<\/p>\n
![\"Arsenal's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4JNS3S8_AFP__20260530__B4HJ3T6__v1__HighRes__FblEurC1PsgArsenalFinal_jpg.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
\nArsenal’s Spanish manager Mikel Arteta gives instructions to his players ahead of extra time.
\nPhoto: ATTILA KISBENEDEK\/AFP\n<\/p>\n
PSG were reduced to frustrated pot-shots from distance and after the break moved the ball quicker to try and destabilise Arsenal’s rearguard.<\/p>\n
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya saved from Achraf Hakimi’s bouncing free-kick before Kvaratskhelia finally had his say. After the winger’s slick one-two with Dembele, Mosquera bundled him down in the box with a clumsy foul.<\/p>\n
Dembele sent Raya the wrong way with a low penalty to level, with PSG fans igniting several flares in celebration. It was their 45th goal of the competition, matching the all-time record.<\/p>\n
PSG almost set a new one when Kvaratskhelia hurtled down the left but teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly deflected his shot against the post.<\/p>\n
Substitute Bradley Barcola fired a fine chance wide on the break before extra time, as the French side threatened frequently, a tiring Arsenal suddenly giving them too much space.<\/p>\n
![\"Paris](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4JNS3S8_AFP__20260530__B4HK8P9__v1__HighRes__FblEurC1PsgArsenalFinal_jpg.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
\nParis Saint-Germain’s Russian goalkeeper #39 Matvey Safonov clears the ball during the UEFA Champions League final
\nPhoto: NICOLAS TUCAT\/AFP\n<\/p>\n
The Gunners pleaded for a penalty of their own when substitute Noni Madueke went down under pressure from Nuno Mendes, but it would have been harsh on the PSG defender whom the winger was pulling.<\/p>\n
To a shoot-out it went, with PSG confident after already claiming three trophies on penalties this season, and winning their last five. They also took the first spot-kick, and at the end in front of their own supporters.<\/p>\n
Arsenal blinked first, with Eze firing wide but Raya then saved from PSG’s Mendes. Declan Rice drilled home to level at 2-2.<\/p>\n
After Lucas Beraldo put the Ligue 1 winners 4-3 up, Arsenal defender Gabriel was left with the fifth kick for his side and lashed it high over the crossbar to hand PSG the trophy.<\/p>\n
-AFP<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Rik Sharma, AFP Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward #10 Ousmane Dembele lifts the trophy after winning the UEFA…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":453325,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[48,47,42,43,49,46,44,45,40,38,41,39],"class_list":["post-454103","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-audio","tag-current-affairs","tag-headlines","tag-news","tag-podcasts","tag-public-radio","tag-radio-new-zealand","tag-rnz","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/454103","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=454103"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/454103\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/453325"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=454103"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=454103"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=454103"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}