Paris Saint-Germain moved into the 2025 Champions League final against Inter Milan following a 2-1 victory over Arsenal on Wednesday night.
Leading 1-0 from the first leg in north London on 29 April, PSG extended their aggregate advantage to 2-0 after 27 minutes of the second leg at the Parc des Princes.
Spain international Fabian Ruiz thrashed home from the edge of the penalty area to calm the nerves of the hosts.
Midway through the second-half Vitinha fluffed a penalty that would have given PSG a 3-0 aggregate lead.
But minutes after his weak kick, substitute Ousmane Dembélé set up Achraf Hakimi for the strike that brought an explosion of joy from the PSG faithful.
As the home fans sang about their impending excursion to the final in Munich on 31 May, Mikel Merino outmuscled PSG skipper Marquinhos on the left wing and drove towards the PSG penalty area.
His cross was deflected into the path of Bukayo Saka who rounded the PSG goalkeeper Gigi Donnarumma to halve the deficit on the night after 76 minutes.
Arsenal pushed for the goals to force extra-time but PSG held firm to seal a 3-1 aggregate success and second trip to the final in five years.
“I said from the first day that our goal was to work hard enough to be in a position to make history and that remains our goal,” said PSG boss Luis Enrique.
Progress
“This is a project that has evolved since last year, and I feel very comfortable here as a coach because I have the freedom and support from the president to build what we want, adapting to the market to put together a team that improves every day.”
PSG have already secured the French Super Cup and the Ligue 1 title this season. On 24 May, they take on Reims in the final of the Coupe de France before attempting to hoist European club football's most prestigious for the first time trophy a week later.
“We believe in our coach and we believe in our talented, young, hungry players," PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi told CBS Sports.
“They fight for the team. They die for the jersey. That’s the most important, for the city, for the club. There’s still one match to go. We are not done.”
Arsenal will return to domestic duties in the English Premier League this weekend to secure a berth in next season's Champions League
"Sometimes you have to lose a few in order to win and you have to overcome some of these setbacks and mentally grow as a person and as a player and as a group," said Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice.
"We’re going through that at the moment, a few losses, in terms of losing out in the league and coming close in the Champions League in back-to-back years.
"PSG have gone through and we’re absolutely gutted but this doesn’t define us for sure.”
