PSG retain Champions League title in penalty shootout victory over Arsenal
Manager Luis Enrique leads side to back-to-back success, cementing status among elite institutions as Arsenal fall short in Budapest.
Paris St-Germain have secured their second consecutive Champions League title, defeating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the final at the Puskás Arena in Budapest. The victory marks the Parisian club as only the second institution to retain the trophy in the competition’s 71-year history, joining Real Madrid as the sole side to achieve this feat in the Champions League era since its rebranding in 1993.
The win follows PSG’s 5-0 triumph over Inter Milan in Munich the previous year, making them the first team to successfully defend the title since Real Madrid’s three-peat from 2016 to 2018. Manager Luis Enrique became the fifth coach in history to win three Champions League or European Cup titles, following in the footsteps of Bob Paisley, Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, and Zinedine Zidane.
The decisive moment arrived during the penalty shootout when Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães fired the final kick over the crossbar. This error allowed PSG to secure the 4-3 victory, ending the first Champions League final to go to penalties since Real Madrid defeated Atlético Madrid ten years prior.
Structurally, the squad remained largely unchanged from the previous year’s final, with all 10 outfield players retaining their starting positions. The only alteration was in goal, where Matvey Safonov replaced Gianluigi Donnarumma, who departed for Manchester City last summer. This continuity has contributed to a period of significant institutional dominance, with PSG winning eight of the 10 trophies available to them since the start of last season.
Statistically, the club has maintained high performance metrics throughout the campaign. PSG scored 45 goals in this season’s competition, equalling the record set by Barcelona in 1999-2000, and recorded the highest average possession at 60.5%. The departure of Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid in 2024 has coincided with a more distributed scoring approach, with 20 different goalscorers contributing this season.
The victory also elevates PSG to the status of the best-performing French club in the competition’s history, surpassing rivals Marseille. President Nasser Al-Khelaifi celebrated with Enrique after collecting his medal, while fans displayed banners acknowledging the manager’s role in transforming the club’s culture and performance.
