PSG fell behind but a second-half penalty offered a road back, and a penalty shootout decided it all


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PSG are the undisputed kings of Europe, winning Saturday's Champions League final in penalty kicks, 4-3. It's a historic victory as PSG have become the first team since Real Madrid won three in a row from 2014- 2017 to go back-to-back in the competition. They'll still need one more title next season to match Zinedine Zidane's Madrid sides, but this is the start of a budding dynasty.

Thirty minutes of extra time couldn't bring a winner, leading to the spot kicks, with Gabriel missing the fifth and final attempt for Arsenal to end a gripping affair. In the penalties, Eberechi Eze missed wide on Arsenal's second attempt, but David Raya stopped Nuno Mendes on PSG's third attempt, allowing Declan Rice to convert his team's third, keeping the English club in it.

Regulation got started with a bang as Kai Havertz got loose at midfield, marched down the field to scoop up a deflected ball, and went powerful and high at the near post for the opening goal, marking his second goal in a UCL final after bagging the winner for Chelsea vs. Manchester City in 2021.

The Gunners, the best defensive team in Europe, put together a fantastic 90 minutes protecting their goal with several impressive slide tackles, but a penalty kick in the 64th minute allowed PSG to draw level. After Cristhian Mosquera brought down Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the box, Ousmane Dembele scored from the spot to draw it level, leading to the tense extra-time period.

That tackle was the only defensive step that the Gunners put wrong during the entire match, but at this level, all it takes is one wrong step. Kvaratskhelia was marked out of the tie, only taking one shot, but when he had a chance to get free on a dribble, he did what he needed to do to draw a penalty. While Arsenal did get off to a fast start, that dynamism was something that they couldn't match on the attacking end.

Once the match opened up, it felt as if PSG would be the side to find a winner before Dembele had to leave the match due to injury, but even when extra time devolved into chaos, they were able to keep their cool and outlast Arsenal in the penalty shootout. Both sides ended with unconventional takers having defenders as their fifth men up to take, but the ball broke PSG's way, and Arsenal's season couldn't end on a high note.

After already winning the Premier League, the Gunners may not have been able to secure their first Champions League title in club history, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a successful season. Securing their first Premier League title since the 2003-04 season, Mikel Arteta does have plenty to build upon in an ever-shifting Premier League.

Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea will all have new managers coming into the new season, and if Arsenal can build upon what they've done, there's no reason that they can't retain the Premier League title and make their way back to being contenders for the Champions League title yet again.

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