There are qualifications that have the harsh taste of suffering before that, so sweet, of deliverance. This Wednesday evening, the Parc des Princes retained its breath, tanned under the assaults of Arsenal, before capsizing in a huge clamor. Paris Saint-Germain, at the end of a fight where he folded without ever breaking, validated his ticket for Munich (2-1, 3-1 cumulative score), offering a second Champions League final after that, so special, from 2020 to Lisbon. This time, it was before his people that Paris was able to savor, exorcise the ghosts of past chess, especially that, cruel, facing Dortmund at the same stage of competition a year earlier.
Donnarumma, the colossus with golden hands
Because this qualification, Paris owes it very largely to its Italian cerbère. From the first moments, Arsenal, with the energy of despair and the quality that we know, tried to suffocate the Parisians. But Gianluigi Donnarumma, as an echo to his imperial performances against Aston Villa or Liverpool, stood up like an insurmountable wall. A decisive parade before Declan Rice (4th), a feline relaxation to repel the wrist an Odegaard missile (8th): the tone was set. The Italian, who has definitely made you forget a few past blunders, proved once again that he had crossed a level, turning into a guardian angel of a team which, without him, might not have known this epic.
Ruiz first scorer of PSG against Arsenal.
Parisian awakening and Ruiz relief
Under pressure, Paris first did the round back, waiting for the storm to pass. The revolt was initiated by KHVICHA KVARETSKHELIA, whose inspiration brushed the genius on a shot that hit the post of Raya (17th). A thrill, a warning. Désiré Goué, then, stuck on the doorman of the Gunners. Then came the light. On a badly pushed free kick, Fabián Ruiz, a chest control followed by an implacable left volley, released the Parc des Princes (27th). 1-0. A goal that was worth gold, anesthetizing a good part of the pressure while Arsenal would flash the possibility of returning to the height of all two games. Paris was breathing, Paris led.
From a disillusionment to ecstasy, Hakimi folds the debates
Building on this advantage, PSG géra better, even creating other situations, such as this attempted gifted at the return of the locker room (54th). Then, the match tilted in a slightly crazy sequence. An Achraf Hakimi shot, deflected by an opposing hand in the area, sent Vitinha against Raya after consulting the Var (64th). But the strike of the Portuguese, too shy, was stopped. Short -lived disappointment. Three minutes later, on a raging tumble from KVaratskhelia relayed by Ousmane Dembélé, Hakimi, with a powerful strike at the ground, deceived Raya and exploded the stadium (2-0). Paris seemed to have folded the matter, qualification reached out to him.
Gifted and PSG will go to Munich.
Saka, the thrill that recalls the fragility of happiness
But football sometimes reserves unexpected starts. Grisés by this station wagon, Parisians experienced a moment of error. Bukayo Saka, emerging at the first post on a trossard service, reduced the gap of a clinical recovery (2-1, 76th). The park, a euphoric moment, held out its breath. Unlike other European evenings where the feverishness had taken up them, Luis Enrique's men this time knew how to tighten the ranks, conceding only a final fear on an unpacked recovery of this same Saka, alone in the face of the goal (80th). A failure that could have changed everything.
Munich online in sight, the story in inheritance
The final whistle was a release. Paris suffered, Paris has sometimes tanned, but Paris is in the final. A remarkable course, where defensive solidity and individual talent have often compensated for a sometimes unequal mastery. Faced with Inter Milan, in Munich on May 31, another story will be written. An unprecedented final, facing a team with a different style, in this same stadium where, 32 years ago, Marseille offered France its only Champions League, already against a Milanese club. This PSG has something more, a soul, a resilience. Bravo to Luis Enrique for the work accomplished. The hardest part, perhaps, remains to be done: go and find this coveted trophy.
