Champions League-Return semi-final-PSG-Arsenal’s antisèche (2-1): Paris is where it must be

Arsenal aimed to attack this meeting hard to sow doubt in Parisian minds. He attacked hard, with first 10 minutes of big pressure on the Parisian goal, but did not doubt anyone and even boosted the confidence of Gianluigi Donnarumma, author of two huge parades on two … Long London touches.

The problem is that the Gunners have exclusively counted on these stopped phases to try to bring danger during a major part of the meeting. But after these first two hot situations, the long recovery of Thomas Partey or 60 -meter free kicks from David Raya found only the heads of Marquinhos, Willian Pacho and the others.

The English were a little better finished, especially after the incisive entry of Leandro Trossard, at the origin of the reduction of the scoring of Bukayo Saka (76th), which then missed the huge 2-2 ball (80th). Paris had done what it was necessary for this more tense end of the match not to turn into a nightmare, with an opening of the magic score of Fabian Ruiz (27th), and the goal of the Break of Achraf Hakimi (72nd).

In the start of the match where he really suffered, PSG was able to count once again on a great Gianluigi Donnarumma so as not to sink. The Italian is definitely the man of this Champions League campaign. Paris relied on a Fabian Ruiz Demonac and a Joao Neves in the oven and the mill. It was much more complicated for Nuno Mendes.

On the Arsenal side, Martin Odegaard once did not exist and Bukayo Saka weighed too little despite his reduction in the score. Jakub Kiwior, he cost the goal of the station wagon that buried the hopes of the Gunners.

Bukayo Saka reduced the scoring four minutes ago when Riccardo Calafiori center from the left side. Gianluigi Donnarumma is trying to intervene but is hoarse, and the English winger, visibly surprised, does not fit his resumption of the law in front of the open goal, at close range. Ten minutes from the end of regulation time, this ready -made goal would have changed everything. Finally, Paris was able to breathe.

Five years after that of Lisbon, played behind closed doors, Paris Saint-Germain will play the second Champions League final in its history in Munich, against Inter Milan. And try to win the first C1 in its history.

We have worked a lot for this moment. Many did not believe in us. We are a team, a family, we deserve this moment. We are proud of this match. Luis Enrique did an incredible job, he created a large team. Inter in the final? It inspires motivation, it’s a big team.

He has a walk to get the Grail and mark the story. But whatever arrives on May 31, PSG has not obtained its ticket for a second final in six years only to the strength of its work, and owes nothing to anyone. The Petit Poucet Brestois acts as an exception in a route where the Ile -de -France club will have learned against Bayern, Atlético and … Arsenal in the league phase, before rebelling in a match of fear against Manchester City, and displaying its flagrant progress in front of Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal.

Three English clubs, three different styles, three scenarios that had nothing to do with it. PSG has caught up on the Reds, kept its advantage outside against the Villans, holding at home against Arsenal. Faced with loud or lower blocks, with or without balloon, with or without Ousmane Dembélé, suffering in front of his goal or not, Paris has been answered for everything since the start of the direct elimination phase.

“We had all the possible emotions in this competition to arrive ready in this final”summed up Marquinhos after the meeting. Ready, Paris is certainly. Because he can count on a guardian again immense and an admirable collective shaped by Luis Enrique, who had seen everything before everyone else, assuring that his team would be stronger without Kylian Mbappé. Because everyone runs now, and everyone can score.

No one is stronger, in any case more complete than the Ile -de -France club since the start of the year in Europe. Inter, who advanced in the shadows before being thrown in the light facing Barça, is certainly just as much. It was far from the poster imagined at the start of the season. But at the moment T, it looks like a final between the two best European teams.