Paris Saint-Germain F.C. have qualified for the UEFA Champions League final after securing a 1-1 draw against FC Bayern Munich in Wednesday night’s semi-final second leg at the Allianz Arena.
The French champions progressed 6-5 on aggregate after winning an exciting first leg 5-4 in Paris last week. The result sends PSG into another Champions League final, where they will face Arsenal FC in Budapest on May 30.
PSG took the lead through Ousmane Dembélé, who fired home a first-time finish after a brilliant run and assist from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia down the left wing.
The match was filled with controversy as Bayern players and supporters complained about several handball decisions. The German side felt PSG defender Nuno Mendes should have been punished for a possible handball while already on a yellow card.
There were also strong appeals for another handball involving João Neves inside the PSG penalty area, but the referee ignored the protests and VAR did not overturn the decisions.
Kvaratskhelia’s assist also saw him make Champions League history. The Georgian winger became the first player to either score or provide an assist in seven straight knockout matches in a single season. He is now level with Kylian Mbappé on 16 goal contributions in this season’s competition, with 10 goals and six assists.
Bayern pushed hard in the second half in search of a comeback but struggled to break down PSG’s defence. Harry Kane eventually scored a late goal for the hosts, though it only served as a consolation before the final whistle.
The German champions had hoped to repeat the treble-winning success they achieved in 2013 and 2020, but their European journey ended narrowly at home.
Both PSG and Bayern entered the second leg as the competition’s highest-scoring teams, with 43 and 42 goals respectively, making the tie one of the most entertaining of the season.
Arsenal booked their place in the final on Tuesday after defeating Atlético Madrid 1-0 to complete a 2-1 aggregate victory.
