Paris Saint-Germain will face Arsenal in the Champions League final on 31 May in Budapest after beating Bayern Munich 2-1 on aggregate, with Ousmane Dembélé’s early goal settling a tense second leg at the Parc des Princes. T2, The Guardian
Dembélé struck in the third minute, finishing emphatically to give PSG a three-goal cushion across the two legs and effectively end the tie as a contest before Bayern found any rhythm. Harry Kane pulled one back deep in stoppage time, but it was no more than a consolation for Vincent Kompany’s side, who lacked the sharpness that had made the first leg a classic.
The result sends Luis Enrique’s team into their first Champions League final since 2020, when they lost to Bayern in Lisbon, and keeps alive the club’s pursuit of a maiden European Cup. PSG’s performance was built less on flair than on control, a disciplined display that The Guardian noted was underpinned by an aptitude for the “dirtier work” that had sometimes eluded them in previous campaigns.
Arsenal booked their place in Budapest on Tuesday with a 2-1 aggregate victory over Real Madrid, their first Champions League final since losing to Barcelona in Paris twenty years ago. Mikel Arteta’s side will carry English hopes into the showpiece, seeking to become the first London club to lift the trophy.
The final offers a compelling stylistic contrast. Arsenal have built their run on defensive structure and set-piece efficiency; PSG under Luis Enrique favour possession and width, with Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia stretching defences from either flank. Jamal Musiala spurned Bayern’s best chance before the break on Wednesday, a miss that might have shifted the momentum had it found the net, but PSG managed the second half with enough composure to see the job through.
Kick-off in Budapest is scheduled for 31 May at the Puskás Aréna. Broadcast details are expected from UEFA later this week.
