Paris 2-1 Arsenal (agg: 3-1): Fabián Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi strike to send hosts to Champions League final

Another fine display from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and goals from Fabián Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi powered Paris to their second Champions League final, Bukayo Saka's goal unable to spark a late comeback for Arsenal.

Match in brief: Clinical Paris withstand Arsenal pressure

Arsenal headed into the second leg having never recovered from losing the first leg at home in a two-legged UEFA competition tie, but showed plenty of intent to snap that streak in the early exchanges.

Operating from a more advanced midfield position with the return of Thomas Partey, Declan Rice quickly showed the threat he posed in attack, leaping high to connect with Jurriën Timber’s third-minute cross, but guiding it just beyond the post.

Martin Ødegaard's driven effort was denied by a strong save by Gianluigi DonnarummaArsenal FC via Getty Images

Gianluigi Donnarumma was called into action as the visitors continued their electric start, but the Italian goalkeeper stood up to the task just as he had in North London, reacting quickly to deny Gabriel Martinelli’s effort from a Partey long throw, and Martin Ødegaard’s low drive.

But even in the absence of first-leg goal scorer Ousmane Dembélé, who was on the bench after picking up an injury last Tuesday, Paris carried plenty of attacking threat.

Fabián Ruiz powers in the opener for Paris against ArsenalGetty Images

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia warned of that fact in the 17th minute, cutting in from the left and curling an effort onto the right post, but it was midfielder Fabián Ruiz who struck the stylish opener ten minutes later.

Collecting the ball on the edge of the box after Partey had headed out Vitinha’s free-kick, the EURO-winning midfielder dented Arsenal’s final hopes with two devastating touches – the first a deft chest control to escape Martinelli’s pressure, the second a left-footed strike which found the right corner via a deflection off William Saliba.

Arsenal struggled to impose themselves early in the second half as they had in the first, but came close to a leveller in the 64th minute when Bukayo Saka cut in from the right wing and aimed a curling effort towards the far top corner, but the fingertips of Donnarumma denied the Arsenal forward.

Luis Enrique applauds his Paris side during the second legAFP via Getty Images

Their comeback hopes appeared to take a further dent minutes later when Myles Lewis-Skelly was penalised for a handball offence, but David Raya got down to his left to save the resulting Vitinha penalty.

However, the reprieve was a fleeting one, Achraf Hakimi curling in on 72 minutes after Paris had won possession in the Arsenal half to increase the aggregate deficit to three goals.

Achraf Hakimi celebrates scoring Paris' second in the Champions League semi-final second legAFP via Getty Images

A glimmer of hope was offered to the visitors when Saka finished comfortably after competing for Leandro Trossard's low cross four minutes later, but the English winger could not apply a finishing touch when Riccardo Calafiori's cross presented a golden opportunity to bring Arsenal within one in the 79th minute.

PlayStation® Player of the Match: Achraf Hakimi (Paris)

"It was a really solid performance, capped with a very good goal."
UEFA Technical Observer Group

Achraf Hakimi with his Player of the Match awardUEFA via Getty Images

Alex Clementson, match reporter

Perhaps the victory that truly heralds the arrival of this new-look Paris side. They’ve dominated throughout their Champions League campaign, monopolising possession, carving innumerable chances, but on this semi-final occasion, they had to dig in. And dig in they did. Arsenal pushed and probed, but still they couldn’t find the answers to truly break this defiant defensive unit down. Buckle they didn’t, and a place in Munich’s showpiece is their reward.

Reaction 

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal coach: "Seeing my team perform like this against one of the best sides in Europe fills me with so much pride. What we’ve done here against Paris is remarkable. If we want to win it, what do we need to do to unlock that door? Sometimes you have to applaud the opposition."

Luis Enrique, Paris coach: "I think in terms of passion and intensity, the match didn’t disappoint. Arsenal came to win; the first half it was them that turned the game in their favour. We suffered as Arsenal, who play well with and without the ball, caused us problems."

Achraf Hakimi, Paris goalscorer, speaking to Canal+: "Luis Enrique has done an incredible job since he’s arrived. He’s created a fantastic team, and there’s a lot of work that goes into doing that. He’s a master."

Martin Ødegaard, Arsenal captain, speaking to TNT Sports: "We gave it a proper go, we started the game really well, were on the front foot, had the momentum and created a few big chances. In the end, it wasn't enough. I think between the boxes we did well, and then inside the boxes we weren't good enough over the two legs. Credit to their goalkeeper, who made some great saves."

Marquinhos, Paris captain, speaking to Canal+: "We work step by step. We knew what this competition was like. We wanted to go far, and now we’re in the final. As I’ve said before, we have to prepare for it in the best way. I’ve already lost a final; I know how much it hurts and I’ll try and pass that experience onto my team-mates."

Declan Rice, Arsenal midfielder, speaking to TNT Sports: "It's gutting. It was such a dominant start; if you score one of those chances in the first 15-20 minutes, the game completely flips on its head. That's the small margins in football. It felt like it wasn't meant to be. We've given it absolutely everything in this competition. Over the two legs, we could have scored three or four goals but Donnarumma's been unbelievable."

Key stats

• Paris reach their second Champions League final, having last reached the showpiece in the 2019/20 edition when they lost 1-0 against Bayern. They are only the third French team to reach multiple finals in this competition, the others being Reims and Marseille.
• Paris have won 19 of their 20 UEFA competition ties when they recorded a first-leg away victory.
• Fabián Ruiz scores his first Champions League goal on his 46th appearance in the competition.
• Achraf Hakimi is the third Moroccan player to score in a Champions League semi-final after Medhi Benatia and Hakim Ziyech.
• Bukayo Saka reaches ten Champions League goals on his 18th appearance. Harry Kane is the only English player to reach that total in fewer matches (12).
• Arsenal have never recovered from a first-leg home defeat in a two-legged UEFA competition tie, this being their sixth attempt.
• At 18 years and 223 days old, Myles Lewis-Skelly became the second youngest English player to reach ten Champions League appearances behind only Jude Bellingham (17y 289d).

Fabián Ruiz celebrates his first Champions League goalAFP via Getty Images

Fantasy star performers

Achraf Hakimi: 12 points
Fabián Ruiz: 9 points
David Raya: 7 points

Line-ups

Paris: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes (Gonçalo Ramos 88); João Neves, Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz; Barcola (Dembele 70), Doué (Hernández 74), Kvaratskhelia

Arsenal: Raya; Timber (White 83), Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly (Calafiori 68); Ødegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Merino, Martinelli (Trossard 69)