Doubters will become believers. If you didn’t believe in PSG, believe now. They have walked the talk. A masterclass at the Parc de Princes.

PSG came into the second leg with the same mission as Arsenal. One goal: to get into the Champions League final. It honestly was a matter of who wanted it more.

From kickoff, it looked like Arsenal wanted it more. They started right off the bat and gave PSG a torrid. In the first 3 minutes, they had a chance. Sincerely, they could have been 1-0 up on the night.

In the space of 20 minutes, it was all Arsenal. They were running at PSG, doing all they could, but they just couldn’t find the back of the net. Donnarumma stopped Arsenal twice from going in front. You would think Arsenal had this one in the bag and only needed time before they had the first goal.

Well, it did take time, but not in Arsenal’s clock. The Parisians soaked in that pressure, but after the 20th minute, PSG were back in the game. It was band for band, and the Parisians had the bigger bandwidth. They struck the back of the net against the run of play and rattled an Arsenal side that seemed so sure of their plan. A deflected rocket from Fabian Ruiz found the back of the net and extended PSG’s lead to two goals on aggregate.

The second half started as the first ended, with the home side in control. They weren’t panicking or rushing, they did everything at their own pace. Arsenal were chasing a game that seemed to be going further away. Arsenal came close to scoring a goal through Bukayo Saka, but Donnarumma pulled out a sensational save to deny the Arsenal man.

Time was ticking fast, Arteta looked dumbfounded. Nothing was working and it got worse in the 66th minute when VAR called the centre referee to check on a potential handball by Lewis Skelly from a Hakimi shot. The referee didn’t have to waste any time, it was clear as daylight, it was a clear handball. A penalty was awarded to PSG and Vitinha stepped up to take it. 

Lesser words need to be said about that penalty. It was a horrible penalty but a good save from Raya. Arsenal felt pumped at that moment, they felt it could be the beginning of something. Far from it. 

Substitute Dembele had other plans. After running to a pass from Kvaratshelia, Dembele who had barely touched the ball since coming on, passed it straight to Hakimi who placed it in the far left corner, beyond Raya’s reach. PSG were 3-0 up on aggregate.

Arsenal however got a consolation goal through Saka, after a defensive mishap from PSG’s backline. There was a feeling that the goal would spur them to do something but that feeling was crushed by the safe hands of Donnarumma and the leadership of Marquinhos. 

Arsenal tried their best but it wasn’t enough to deter Luis Enrique’s men from getting to the final. The Gunners were just second best. At the sound of the referee’s whistle, it was all but confirmed. Paris Saint-Germain were through to their second ever UCL final and for Arsenal, it’s the same old story: there’s next season.