PSG finish off Arsenal to reach Champions League final ()

<img src="https://thesun.my/binrepository/338x225/0c0/0d0/none/11808/FCQT/fbl-eur-c1-psg-arsenal-203746_5190542_20250508073444.jpg"><p><b>PARIS</b> Saint-Germain clinched a place in the Champions League final as goals by Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi gave them a 2-1 win over Arsenal in the second leg of their last-four tie on Wednesday, securing a 3-1 aggregate triumph.</p><p>Ruiz crashed in a shot from the edge of the area in the 27th minute at the Parc des Princes after PSG had withstood an early bombardment from the visitors.</p><p>Already leading in the tie after Ousmane Dembele’s goal in last week’s first leg, PSG then saw Vitinha have a second-half penalty saved.</p><p>However, Hakimi put the tie beyond Arsenal when he scored in the 72nd minute, even if Bukayo Saka did then pull one back for the visitors.</p><p>PSG’s triumph sparked wild celebrations in the stadium and around the French capital, including on the Champs-Elysees, as they advance to a showdown in Munich on May 31 against Inter Milan.</p><p>It will be the second Champions League final in their history, five years after a defeat by Bayern Munich in Lisbon.</p><p>“We have worked hard as a club to get this and to deserve it. It has been a long, hard road,“ PSG captain Marquinhos told broadcaster Canal Plus.</p><p>“The job is done in terms of getting to the final but it’s not finished, we want more. We really want to win the trophy.”</p><p>Arsenal, meanwhile, saw their European dream come to an end as they fell short of reaching what would have been their second final, 19 years after losing to Barcelona in Paris.</p><p>Still without a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, all that is left to play for now for Mikel Arteta’s side is securing a third consecutive second-place finish in the Premier League.</p><p>“To do what we have done in Paris today against this team is remarkable, but the fact is that we are out,“ admitted Arteta.</p><p>“Sometimes you have to applaud the opposition, and what the ‘keeper did in both games. He won the game for them,“ he added of PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma.</p><p>There was an electric atmosphere all evening in Paris, and PSG were able to celebrate getting to a final in front of their fans for the first time, after their victory against RB Leipzig in the last four in 2020 was played behind closed doors during the pandemic.</p><p>There was a feverish mood in and around the ground pre-match, but PSG have tripped up in big Champions League ties plenty of times over the last decade.</p><p>In addition, their top scorer Dembele was not in the starting line-up having come off with a hamstring problem in the first leg.</p><p><b>Brilliant Donnarumma</b></p><p></p><p>Arsenal, with Thomas Partey back in midfield after suspension, did their best to silence the raucous home support by throwing everything at the Parisians right from the off.</p><p>Declan Rice headed just wide, and Donnarumma denied Gabriel Martinelli before producing a stunning save to keep out a Martin Odegaard shot, all inside the opening eight minutes.</p><p>PSG did eventually settle, and they almost went ahead on 17 minutes when Desire Doue teed up Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, whose curling shot hit the far post.</p><p>Then Doue wasted a great chance but PSG did score before the half-hour mark.</p><p>A Vitinha free-kick was headed out by Partey but fell to Ruiz on the edge of the box, and he controlled before smashing in a left-foot shot as the ball bounced back up.</p><p>It was the ideal moment for the 29-year-old Spaniard to score his first Champions League goal.</p><p>Barcola failed to convert a good chance for the hosts to score again moments later, and Arsenal still had some hope going into the second half.</p><p>Only another stunning Donnarumma save with his fingertips prevented Saka from pulling one back on 64 minutes, before PSG were awarded a spot-kick.</p><p>German referee Felix Zwayer gave the penalty after being summoned to the pitchside monitor when a shot by Hakimi brushed the hand of Myles Lewis-Skelly.</p><p>Arteta was furious at the decision, yet Vitinha’s kick was turned away by David Raya diving to his left.</p><p>Nevertheless, PSG made it 2-0 on the night when Dembele, on from the bench, teed up Hakimi to finish in style.</p><p>This being PSG, however, there was a wobble as Saka quickly pulled one back from close range after Leandro Trossard had got the better of Marquinhos on the wing.</p><p>Saka then somehow blazed over with an open goal gaping from Riccardo Calafiori’s cross, ensuring that there would be no miracle Arsenal comeback and it would be PSG’s night.</p>