Cliff Notes – Arsenal knocked out of Champions League after 2-1 defeat to PSG
- Arsenal’s Champions League campaign ended with a 2-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, losing 2-1 on aggregate after a strong start in the second leg.
- PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma made critical saves, and goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi secured advancement for the French side.
- Bukayo Saka’s late goal provided a flicker of hope for Arsenal, but a missed opportunity to equalise left them eliminated from the tournament.
Arsenal knocked out of Champions League after 2-1 defeat to PSG in semi-final second leg | UK News
Arsenal are out of the Champions League after a 2-1 defeat in their semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
The Gunners went into the match 1-0 down after being edged out by the French side at the Emirates in the first game last week.
Arsenal began Wednesday’s clash hoping for a comeback against the team many rate as the best in Europe at the moment – and made a strong start.
PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was forced to make some remarkable early saves to deny Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia hit the post for the hosts in the 17th minute, before Fabian Ruiz’s strike found the back of the net 11 minutes later.
It came against the run of play and left the visitors with an even more daunting task in the French capital – two goals just to get level on aggregate.
Bukayo Saka’s shot midway through the second half looked to be curling into the top corner but was also kept out by PSG’s on-form Italian keeper.
Moments later, Arsenal looked to have been dealt a killer blow when VAR showed the hand of Myles Lewis-Skelly had brushed the ball in the box.
It appeared a harsh decision, but a strange run-up and weak penalty by Vitinha was kept out by David Raya.
Home fans celebrated what seemed like an untouchable three-goal lead, but three minutes later Saka put Arsenal back in it when he knocked in a cross from Leandro Trossard.
Saka then had a huge chance in the 80th minute to make it 2-2 and set up a grandstand finish but blazed the ball over from close range with the goal at his mercy.
PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium erupted at the whistle as the French side and its Qatari backers dream of an elusive first Champions League trophy.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said he was proud of how his players performed under the pressure and that opposition keeper Donnarumma was the best player and had “made a difference for them”.
Midfielder Declan Rice told reporters it was “gutting” to be out “after such a dominant start” but promised the players would “keep pushing”.
PSG can now look forward to a trip to Munich for the final against Inter Milan on 31 May.
The Italian side will also be full of confidence after coming through a 7-6 two-leg classic against Barcelona on Tuesday.