Champions League: Shaken but qualified, PSG will challenge Inter in the final
Having beaten Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals (1-0, 2-1), the Parisians have reached the final for the second time in their history. They will face the Nerazzurri on May 31 in Munich.
On the road to Munich. With a one-goal advantage from the first leg in London, the Parisians beat Arsenal 2-1 this Wednesday at the Parc des Princes, thus securing their place in the Champions League final. It was no walk in the park, far from it. No matter. The Red and Blue will face Inter Milan, who beat Barça 3-3, 4-3 aet , on May 31 at the Allianz Arena in Munich. This is the club's second Champions League final, after 2020.
15 minutes in hell" We're aware that we're going to suffer at times ," said Luis Enrique before the match . He probably didn't imagine that his players would be so overwhelmed from the start. A mess. 15 minutes in hell, with Rice's header just wide ( 3rd ) and two huge saves from Donnarumma ( 4th , 8th ). At the quarter of an hour of play, 70% possession for the Gunners, the only ones on board. PSG stifled. The exact opposite of the start of the match in the first leg.
Ruiz's LightningFailing to find its game, Paris got its head above water. And struck on the counter. The kind of stab that hurts, with "Kvara" hitting Raya's post ( 16th ) and waking up the Parc. Another counter, and a very soft shot from Doué ( 23rd ). Ruiz's was not. A fairground chip from the edge of the box, with his left foot, for an opening goal in the form of a huge sigh of relief (1-0, 27th ). The Virage Auteuil was ablaze. Air. Fire. Life. Rice spoke of those " magical moments " that can turn a match, a season. Like his double free kick against Real, in the quarter-finals. The magic was at the tip of Ruiz's boot. First goal in the Champions League for him.
Another counterattack, Doué and Barcola on the attack, the latter of whom ate the scoresheet ( 29th ). Arsenal didn't disarm, made a big impact, but the game was now noticeably rebalancing. Eye to eye. Blow for blow. But still no Parisian control. Maximum tension. Still a few scares on the Parisian goal in the absence of a big chance but two goals ahead on aggregate at half-time (1-0 half-time).
Saka is a party pooper, but...There were few opportunities to get excited on either side at the restart. When the Parc fans were boiling, it was in the 50th minute , when Dembélé came off the bench for his warm-up. Donnarumma was alert for a corner kick (56th minute ). And masterful in keeping out Saka's curling shot that was heading for the top corner (63rd minute ). The "Donnarumma, Donnarumma" were falling from the stands. And that harmless shot from Hakimi in the process (64th minute ). Harmless? The whole Parc believed it. But the referee, Mr. Zwayer, called for the Var on a penalty. For a potential foul on Saka? And no, for a handball by Lewis-Skelly on Hakimi's shot. Penalty! Vitinha facing Raya... advantage to the Spanish goalkeeper (69th minute ). Hakimi, for his part, left Raya no chance with a pass from Dembélé (2-0, 72nd ). Paris in paradise. The Parc in meltdown.
One foot in the final? Only one foot. Especially since Saka reduced the score after an oversight by Marquinhos (2-1, 76th ). Which Saka missed the equalizer in front of the empty net ( 79th ). It was the turn of Dembélé ( 81st ) and Hakimi ( 82nd ) to make Raya tremble. KO in the air. But that was it (2-1 final score). Or rather, Arsenal stayed there, on the threshold of the final.
Inter in the line of fireAnd now, all attention will be turned to May 31st and Inter Milan, currently runners-up to Napoli in Serie A and whose vast majority of squad has already played (and lost) a Champions League final, in 2023, against Manchester City (0-1). Three weeks, an eternity. In the meantime, Luis Enrique will have the leisure to spend a pleasant birthday this Thursday, unlike in 2024, after the elimination against Dortmund. And what's more, he won't have to face a Barça that makes his heart sing. His mind, however, is fully focused on winning that first Champions League with Paris.
lefigaro
