Paris Saint-Germain barely had time to celebrate reaching another Champions League final before attention shifted to the challenge waiting ahead: Arsenal. After surviving a tense semi-final against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, PSG players spoke less about relief and more about what comes next.
For winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the message was simple. The hardest test of the season may be over, but another awaits in Budapest.
“Very happy we’re in the final,” Kvaratskhelia said after PSG’s 1-1 draw in Munich sealed a dramatic 6-5 aggregate victory. “We know it will be difficult against Arsenal.”
The Georgian international described Bayern as “one of the best teams right now” and called the tie PSG’s toughest assignment of the campaign. It certainly looked that way.
The match exploded into life almost immediately when Ousmane Dembele struck after only three minutes, finishing off a sharp cutback from Kvaratskhelia to silence the home crowd.
With a two-goal advantage overall, PSG then adopted a more controlled approach. They remained dangerous on the counterattack but spent long periods absorbing Bayern pressure as the German champions pushed desperately for a way back into the contest.
Harry Kane eventually scored deep into stoppage time, his 55th goal of a remarkable season but Bayern had simply left themselves too much to do. The final whistle confirmed PSG’s place in a second consecutive Champions League final, another significant step in a project long built around European success.
Manager Luis Enrique praised his team’s resilience against one of Europe’s most aggressive pressing sides.
“The character we showed against a team like Bayern is so positive,” he said after the match. “It was very intense. Very difficult.”
Luis Enrique noted the similarities between the two clubs’ styles, with both teams preferring high pressing and fast transitions.
“Both teams are similar,” he said. “We love to press high. We are very happy.”
Now PSG must prepare for an Arsenal side chasing its own moment of European history.
Mikel Arteta’s team have impressed throughout the competition with disciplined defending and a more mature approach under pressure. Their rise has mirrored PSG’s in some ways, talented squads finally beginning to show consistency at the highest level.
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