The final in Munich is already tangible: Paris St. Germain shone with a strong initial phase at Arsenal. And then let the Gunners despair with merciless defense work. The team of coach Luis Enrique narrowly won but earned 1-0 (1-0). Ousmane Dembele had already scored the golden gate in the 4th minute.
“It was a good statement. It is very difficult to win here,” said PSG midfielder Vitinha at Canal Plus: “We played well, even if we didn’t have as much possession as us. Arsenals keeper David Raya struggled: “Paris started very quickly with a goal. They dominated the first 15 minutes, but after that I think we dominated the game. We had the chances and Donnarumma showed some brilliant parades.”
Arsenal and Paris – dream of the first title
Arsenal and Paris – These teams have never been able to win the Champions League. This year it can be trusted – Arsenal shone in the Champions League, switched off the defending champion Real Madrid in the quarter -finals. And Paris? The team from the French capital comes as strongly as never before. Although – or precisely because – the very big stars have now left the club.
Merciless pressing – this is the recipe of both teams. And so it started powerfully in London. From the beginning, Paris looked a bit more active, more alert.
Kracher: Dembele meets Ultrafrüh
What led to a real bang: just four minutes were played, the young Nuno Mendes played a good plug -on pass to the midfield center, where Ousmane Dembel took off. The Frenchman fit out to the left to the Georgian Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who dribbled on the baseline and adapted the ball to Dembele. He was released, took the ball directly and placed it from 15 meters on the right inner post – it was 0: 1.
Ousmane Dembele dribbles with the ball
It was a shock for the English – no question. As a result, the red-whites did not come into play, had to impose play pace and rhythm from play and passion. Which of course also led to dangerous scenes.
Kvaratskhelia turns up
In particular, Kvaratskhelia on the left Parisian outer lane did not get a grip on the Gunners at all. In the 16th minute, the French challenged the penalty after Jurria Timber kept the Georgian in the penalty area. Schiri Slavko Vincic whistled, but Timber emphasized a little later after this dribble artist Kvaratskhelia had let the blade jump over the blade again.
Paris had the sovereignty over this match. It was by no means the case that arsenal did not try. The team of coach Mikel Areta kept trying to press the guests early, to force mistakes in their half. Just as it was as fantastic against Real Madrid. But Paris was simply too ball -safe, always played elegantly out of the narrow clasp.
Arsenal puts a lot of pressure
After about half an hour almost the 0: 2: Dembele had danced on the right outer lane on the right and laid down in a measure of Desire Douè, whose direct shot was brilliantly parried by keeper David Raya. Fabian Ruis’s margin landed on the left post, but the Spaniard had been offside.
Paris missed the next goal and Arsenal invested increasingly. The guests were started and put under pressure. Which was not without effect. Before the break, the first really good opportunity for the Gunners arose: in the 45th minute Gabriel Martinelli was on the left and swilved the ball wonderfully towards the long post – Gianluigi Donnarumma parried in the goal of the guests brilliantly.
Gianluigi Donnarumma holds Gabriel Martinelli’s ball
Merino meets for Arsenal – but does not count
Shortly after the change of sides, the Italian was beaten in the PSG goal. Declan Rice had slapped a free kick from the left butter into the center and met the head of Mikel Merino in accordance with – the ball hit the supposed 1: 1. But the VAR had something against it. After minutes of check, the hit was withdrawn. Merino had stood out in the offside.
Arsenal stay tuned now. Rice turned heavily on the headquarters and initiated a top chance in the 56th minute. After a violent solo, he played tailored to Leandro Trossard from the center to the left, which was aimed at the far corner from an acute angle. But again Donnarumma stretched and fished the ball away.
Paris – Bärenstark in defense
The game now went with distributed game shares, the enormous running workload of both had cost strength. Arsenal’s offensive actions in particular remained intense, but ultimately too imprecise. Paris kept the defense tight, hardly allowed real scoring.
In the final phase, PSG could have even screwed up the result: In the 84th minute, substitute Bradley Barcola suddenly had half -right from the freely to the goal, but shot over the long post. Two minutes later, the Goncalo Ramos, who also came late, hammered the ball onto the crossbar after a counterattack from 13 meters.
It remained 1-0. And thus an excellent starting position for PSG before the second leg, which will take place in Paris on May 7th.