PARIS, France: Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) clinched a place in the Champions League final as goals by Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi gave them a 2-1 win over Arsenal in the second leg of their last-four tie on Wednesday, securing a 3-1 aggregate triumph.
Ruiz crashed in a shot from the edge of the area in the 27th minute at the Parc des Princes after PSG had withstood an early bombardment from the visitors.
Already leading in the tie after Ousmane Dembele’s goal in last week’s first leg, PSG then saw Vitinha have a second-half penalty saved.
However, Hakimi put the tie beyond Arsenal when he scored in the 72nd minute, even if Bukayo Saka did then pull one back for the visitors.
PSG’s triumph sparked wild celebrations in the stadium and around the French capital, including on the Champs-Elysees, as they advance to a showdown in Munich on May 31 against Inter Milan.
It will be the second Champions League final in their history, five years after a defeat by Bayern Munich in Lisbon.
“We have worked hard as a club to get this and to deserve it. It has been a long, hard road,” PSG captain Marquinhos told broadcaster Canal Plus.
“The job is done in terms of getting to the final but it’s not finished, we want more. We really want to win the trophy.”
Arsenal, meanwhile, saw their European dream come to an end as they fell short of reaching what would have been their second final, 19 years after losing to Barcelona here.
Still without a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, all that is left to play for now for Mikel Arteta’s side is securing a third consecutive second-place finish in the Premier League.
“To do what we have done in Paris today against this team is remarkable, but the fact is that we are out,” admitted Arteta.
“Sometimes you have to applaud the opposition, and what the ‘keeper did in both games. He won the game for them,” he added of PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma. – AFP
