Postpublished at 42 mins
PSG 1-0 Arsenal (2-0 on agg)
Lovely low ball into the box by Bukayo Saka. Mikel Merino sticks out a boot but just can't quite reach it and no-one gambles on moving to the back post.
PSG beat Arsenal to go through to final
Arsenal's bid to reach the Champions League final ended in failure as they were beaten by Paris St-Germain on a night of drama at Parc des Princes.
The Gunners' attempt to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit ran aground on another magnificent display by PSG's goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The Italian, outstanding in the first leg at Emirates Stadium, delivered a repeat performance with a series of stunning saves to keep Arsenal at bay early on.
He made an outstanding stop from Gabriel Martinelli, then an even better save from Martin Odegaard's low long-range drive as PSG were rocked back.
PSG cashed in to take the lead on the night when Fabian Ruiz collected Thomas Partey's headed clearance to flash a 20-yard finish past Arsenal keeper David Raya with the help of a slight deflection after 27 minutes.
In thrilling encounter, Donnarumma produced another stunning save to deny Bukayo Saka, before Raya got in on the act by saving Vitinha's poor spot-kick after Myles Lewis-Skelly was penalised for handball.
Partey was the culprit when PSG extended their lead after 72 minutes, losing possession before Achraf Hakimi scored on the turn.
Saka did finally beat Donnarumma with an angled finish four minutes later, but it was not enough to spark a comeback, although he then shot over an open goal, and PSG will now meet Inter Milan in the Champions League final in Munich.
Ruiz scores to put PSG in front against Arsenal
Arsenal delivered a top-class display in Paris, but the bitter truth is they could not deliver enough of the "magic moments" manager Mikel Arteta had demanded and their barren run without a trophy now extends to five years.
They stunned PSG and their supporters with a blistering early salvo, but Declan Rice headed a great chance wide before Donnarumma again broke their hearts and hopes of a comeback.
Arteta could not have asked for more from his players against this talented PSG team, who beat Manchester City in the league phase, then eliminated Liverpool and Aston Villa in the knockout rounds.
Arsenal could not turn their early domination into the goal that would have applied pressure on a nervous PSG in those opening stages, leaving them at risk from the danger Luis Enrique's side possess.
And so it proved with Georgian genius Khvicha Kvaratskhelia hitting the post and Bradley Barcola forcing a fine save from Raya before Ruiz broke the deadlock.
How Arsenal cried out for a natural striker when they had control. Emergency striker Mikel Merino provided a focal point but little else in terms of attacking threat.
Arsenal's players, understandably, looked crestfallen as Parc des Princes was engulfed in wild scenes of celebration.
Arteta now has to lift them to ensure they finish in the Premier League's top five and return to the Champions League next season.
Hakimi scores 'beautifully' against Arsenal
Donnarumma's name echoed around Parc des Princes as PSG celebrated reaching only their second Champions League final.
And rightly so, because the giant Italian goalkeeper has been just as instrumental as PSG's brilliant attack in their thrilling run to Munich.
There was talk that Donnarumma's indifferent form earlier this season might result in him being dropped for the last 16 second leg at Liverpool, but head coach Luis Enrique kept faith - and how he has been rewarded.
He was outstanding in the penalty shootout win at Anfield before producing a virtuoso individual display at Villa Park, then shining in both games against Arsenal.
PSG deserve their place in Munich, where they hope they will finally find their Holy Grail, and bring the Champions League trophy back to Paris.
They lost their previous final against Bayern Munich in 2020, but Luis Enrique's side have moved on the "Bling Bling" era of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe to benefit from a reconstructed team ethic.
Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and the rest of this emerging young PSG team will grace the Champions League final, a mouth-watering prospect after Inter Milan's sensational win against Barcelona over two legs.
Saka scores to give Arsenal glimpse of hope against PSG
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.
There will also be a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One on Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.
Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 5 | 12 | 21 |
| |
8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 28 | 13 | 15 | 19 |
| |
8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 13 | 19 |
| |
8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 19 |
| |
8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 18 |
| |
8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 16 |
| |
8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 16 |
| |
8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 16 |
| |
8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 20 | 6 | 14 | 15 |
| |
8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 15 |
| |
8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 15 |
| |
8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 15 |
| |
8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 15 |
| |
14 PSV | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 14 |
|
8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 13 |
| |
16 Benfica | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 13 |
|
8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| |
18 Brest | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 11 | -1 | 13 |
|
19 Feyenoord | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 21 | -3 | 13 |
|
8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 12 |
| |
8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 14 | -1 | 12 |
| |
8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 11 |
| |
23 Sporting CP | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 11 |
|
24 Club Brugge | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 11 | -4 | 11 |
|
25 Dinamo Zagreb | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 19 | -7 | 11 |
|
26 Stuttgart | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 17 | -4 | 10 |
|
27 Shakhtar Donetsk | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 16 | -8 | 7 |
|
28 Bologna | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 6 |
|
29 Red Star Belgrade | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 22 | -9 | 6 |
|
30 Sturm Graz | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 14 | -9 | 6 |
|
31 Sparta Prague | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 21 | -14 | 4 |
|
8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 15 | -7 | 3 |
| |
33 Girona | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 13 | -8 | 3 |
|
34 Red Bull Salzburg | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 27 | -22 | 3 |
|
35 Slovan Bratislava | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 27 | -20 | 0 |
|
36 Young Boys | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 24 | -21 | 0 |
|
Manager: Luis Enrique
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Manager: Mikel Arteta
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Manager: Luis Enrique
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Manager: Mikel Arteta
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
UEFA Champions League
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
PSG’s 1-0 win the first leg was their first ever victory in six attempts against Arsenal (D3 L2). Both of their home games against the Gunners have finished 1-1 (March 1994, September 2016).
Having been unbeaten in their first 13 away games against French sides in all competitions (W8 D5), Arsenal have now lost their last two visits against Rennes in 2019 and Lens in 2023.
Only two teams have ever reached the UEFA Champions League final having lost the first leg of their semi-final tie at home, with Ajax overcoming Panathinaikos in 1995-96, and Tottenham doing the same against Ajax in 2018-19.
Both PSG and Arsenal are bidding to reach their second European Cup/UEFA Champions League final, with the French side doing so in 2019-20, and the Gunners in 2005-06. When winning the first leg of a European tie away from home, PSG have only been eliminated once (vs Man Utd in 2018-19), while the Gunners have never progressed when losing the first leg at home.
PSG have won three of their last four UEFA Champions League home games, netting 14 goals across those three victories. However, they’ve lost twice at Parc des Princes this season (vs Liverpool and Atlético de Madrid), only losing three at home in the same campaign in 2020-21.
Arsenal have won each of their last four away games in the UEFA Champions League – the Gunners have never won five in a row on the road across all European competition before.
Paris Saint-Germain have made 150 line-breaking passes that have broken the defensive line in the UEFA Champions League this season, second only to Bayern Munich (156). 25 have been by Ousmane Dembélé, the joint most of any player this campaign.
Ousmane Dembélé’s winner in the first leg was his eighth goal in the UEFA Champions League this season – only Zlatan Ibrahimovic has netted more in a single campaign for PSG (10 in 2013-14).
As well as completing the joint most passes on either team in the first leg (50), Arsenal’s Declan Rice made the most line-breaking passes in the final third (6). He leads all Gunners players in the UEFA Champions League this season for line-breaking passes leading to both shots (7) and goals (3).
Paris SG’s João Neves has made 51 tackles in this season’s UEFA Champions League, the most by a midfielder in a season since Arturo Vidal in 2014-15 (52). He’s applied 756 high pressures to opponents in 2024-25, over 100 more than any other player.