By the Numbers, Arsenal Won. On the Pitch, PSG Conquered.
By IDNN Sports Desk
PARIS – Arsenal may have owned the ball, the stats, and even the drama. But it was Paris Saint-Germain who owned the scoreboard, the killer instinct, and the Champions League final ticket.
With a ruthless 2-1 win at Parc des Princes, PSG wrapped up a 3-1 aggregate victory and knocked Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal out at the semifinal stage—again.
Let’s be clear:
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Arsenal outshot PSG 19 to 11
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They created 4 big chances to PSG’s 2
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They had 54% possession, 3.14 xG, and 6 corners
And yet, they lost. Again.
⚽ Clinical PSG, Wasteful Arsenal – Same Old Song
Arsenal came in needing a comeback and almost played like champions—almost. Declan Rice nearly opened the scoring inside four minutes. Ødegaard forced a world-class save. Donnarumma was everywhere in the first 20 minutes.
But football, especially Champions League football, is a brutal judge.
In the 29th minute, Fabián Ruiz unleashed a left-footed rocket, taking full advantage of a poor Thomas Partey clearance. His effort, subtly deflected, flew past a rooted David Raya. PSG 1–0. Arsenal’s belief wobbled.
Cue chaos. A controversial handball on Myles Lewis-Skelly gifted PSG a penalty in the 69th minute. But Raya denied Vitinha with a calm save. A lifeline?
Not quite. Five minutes later, Partey again lost possession. Achraf Hakimi punished him coldly, slicing a venomous right-footed strike into the corner. PSG 2–0 on the night, 3–0 on aggregate. Game.
Bukayo Saka’s 76th-minute tap-in off a Leandro Trossard assist gave Arsenal a flicker of hope—but that hope was slaughtered when Saka missed a wide-open sitter in the 85th minute. A miss that may haunt him all summer.
Tactical Breakdown: Enrique Outsmarts Arteta
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PSG Formation: 4-3-3 – with Kvaratskhelia (7.2), Barcola (6.8), and Ruiz (7.9) interchanging fluidly behind the midfield
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Star Performer: Donnarumma (7.1) – 4 saves, 2 game-changers, unbreakable
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Hakimi (7.9): Absolute menace in transition. His goal and recovery runs stifled Saka late on
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Arsenal’s Rating Average: 6.7 (vs PSG’s 7.3) – they pressed high, played well, but couldn’t finish the story
Mikel Arteta had this to say post-match:
“The MVP in both legs was the same player – their goalkeeper. That tells you everything.”
But his counterpart Luis Enrique didn’t share the sentiment:
“We scored more goals, we won. This is not a farmers league – this is a winning league.”
The Inquest Begins at the Emirates
This was Arsenal’s fourth major semifinal exit in as many seasons. They’ve fallen at the penultimate stage in the:
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2021 Europa League
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2022 Carabao Cup
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2025 Carabao Cup
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And now, the 2025 UEFA Champions League
They’ve also finished second behind Manchester City in the last two Premier League seasons. The talent is evident. The hunger is real. But the silverware? Still missing.
Even Declan Rice admitted:
“It just felt like it wasn’t meant to be. Two mistakes, two goals. That’s elite football.”
PSG March to Munich: Farmers No More
They’ve now knocked out Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal—a clean sweep of Premier League giants.
PSG will face Inter Milan in the final in Munich on May 31, hunting their first-ever Champions League crown, with Donnarumma channeling his Euro 2020 heroics, Ruiz peaking at the right time, and Kvaratskhelia causing chaos.
The obsession of the Qatari owners might finally find its end.
💥 Verdict: Arsenal Tried. PSG Executed.
There is no moral victory in elite football. Arsenal had the heart. PSG had the head. The Gunners leave with regret, and PSG walk into Munich—bold, battered, and absolutely battle-hardened.
