UEFA Champions League: PSG book title clash with Inter Milan, beat Arsenal 2-1 in semis second leg

PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain secured the final clash against Inter Milan to played in Munich following a 2-1 win over Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg at Parc des Princes on Wednesday night. With this win, PSG have outdone Arsenal 3-1 on aggregate, having secured a 1-0 win in the first leg away from home.

In the start, Arsenal had their chances, with Declan Rice and Gabriel Martinelli making solid efforts. Martin Odegaard’s attempt at scoring was also saved by goalie Gianluigi Donnarumma, as per Goal.com.

PSG also came close to scoring, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia hitting the post from the edge of the box. In the 27th minute, the deadlock was finally broken when Fabian Ruiz scored a beautiful goal from 18 yards away. Despite some attacking football by PSG, the match went into the first half with a scoreline of just 1-0.

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In the second half, Bukayo Saka’s strike was saved by Donnarumma, and Arsenal were looking good. In the 72nd minute, Achraf Hakimi met Kvaratskhelia’s pass and worked well with substitute Ousmane Dembele, delivering a clean finish. PSG’s lead had doubled.

With 15 minutes left, Arsenal kept themselves alive as Leandro Trossard got the ball possession and found Saka, who wasted no time in driving the ball past Donnarumma in the 76th minute. The scoreline was 2-1. Saka did have a chance to level the scores, but he missed.

The scoreline was not disturbed for the remainder of the time, and PSG went out of the park as winners and finalists of the UEFA Champions League, set for a clash against Inter Milan in Munich on June 1.

Speaking after the match, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said to TNT Sports, as quoted by Sky Sports, “Over the two legs, the best player on the pitch was their goalkeeper – he has made a difference in the tie. We were very close, much closer than the results showed, but unfortunately, we are out.”

“I am so proud. How we started and handled the pressure – after 20 minutes, we should be 3-0 up. But there is something extra in these competitions to go your way, and it did not. I am upset. It has to hurt if we want to win this competition, and we need to realise that. Just understanding that we are out is not the way I look at it.”

“I do not think there has been a better team in the competition form what I have seen. But we are out. We deserved much more, but this competition is about the boxes, the strikers most of the time and the goalkeeper, and theirs was the best player in both games.”

“I’m so proud of the boys, they deserve lots of credit for what they are doing and the number of injuries. We arrived here in the worst state. You have to get here with everyone fit and available with lots of minutes. They had a week. We came here in a different context. That gives me a lot of positivity for the future,” he concluded.

On the other hand, PSG manager Luis Enrique also said to TNT Sports as quoted by Sky Sports, “It means a lot to reach the final. Everybody is dreaming of getting to the Champions League final. Our first goal when we arrived to Paris was to make history, and we are on the right path.”

“We are the league of farmers, no? But sometimes it is nice. I think now we are enjoying not only the result but also the compliments of everybody speaking about our team. We are a young team, but the mentality and the character and also the way we play football. I think it is nice and it’s awesome. I have to congratulate my players because they are great,” he concluded. (ANI)