PSG Defeats Arsenal on Penalties to Retain UCL Title

The French club became only the second team in the modern Champions League era to win back-to-back titles, matching a feat previously achieved by Spanish giant Real Madrid.

"It's incredible," PSG captain Marquinhos said after the victory. "From the beginning of the season, the coach told us that winning once is difficult and winning twice is even harder. We worked with that mindset throughout the year."

The decisive moment came when Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães sent his team's final penalty over the crossbar, handing PSG the title.

PSG coach Luis Enrique secured his third Champions League crown as a manager, further strengthening his place among Europe's most successful coaches. His young squad once again demonstrated its quality by overcoming an Arsenal side that recently won the Premier League and had dominated the league phase of the Champions League.

"It makes the achievement even more special because we knew how difficult the match would be," Luis Enrique said. "Over the whole season, I think we deserved it, even though the final was very closely contested."

Arsenal made a dream start when Kai Havertz scored in the sixth minute. The English club then focused on defending its lead, making life difficult for PSG despite the French side controlling possession.

PSG finally found an equalizer in the 65th minute when Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé converted a penalty. The goal sent the final into extra time, the first Champions League final to require extra time in a decade.

Neither team could find a winner before the match went to penalties.

The victory places Luis Enrique alongside coaching greats including Carlo Ancelotti, Bob Paisley, Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola as managers who have won at least three European Cups.

PSG's young squad, with an average age of under 24 in the final, believes more success could follow.

"It's crazy. We'll enjoy this first and then get back to work because we want even more," PSG midfielder Désiré Doué told TNT Sports. "We're a young team and very ambitious."

For Arsenal, the defeat extended a long wait for a first Champions League title. The London club has now played 226 matches in Europe's premier club competition without lifting the trophy, more than any other team.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised PSG after the match.

"First, we have to deal with the disappointment and learn from it," he said. "I want to congratulate PSG because, in my opinion, they are the best team in the world."

Arsenal's disciplined defensive approach frustrated PSG for much of the game. The English side limited the French champions to few clear chances and held just 24.7% possession, the lowest recorded by a team in a Champions League final since statistics provider Opta began tracking such data in 2004.

In the shootout, Arsenal's Eberechi Eze missed a penalty, although goalkeeper David Raya kept his team alive by saving from Nuno Mendes.

After Lucas Beraldo converted PSG's final spot kick, Gabriel needed to score to keep Arsenal's hopes alive. Instead, his effort sailed over the bar, triggering wild celebrations among PSG players and supporters, reports UNB.

Captain Marquinhos then lifted the Champions League trophy for the second straight year as fireworks and gold confetti filled the stadium.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated the team on social media, saying PSG had made "all of Europe dream" and that France was proud of the club's achievement.