PSG add muscle to magic as another Champions League final beckons

TL;DR

Paris Saint-Germain reached their second consecutive Champions League final after a 6-5 aggregate victory over Bayern Munich. Ousmane Dembele scored early, and PSG's defense held strong to secure their place in the final against Arsenal on May 30.

Key points

PSG reached their second consecutive Champions League final
Ousmane Dembele scored early against Bayern Munich
PSG won 6-5 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw in the second leg
The final against Arsenal is on May 30
Luis Enrique's coaching has transformed the team

Mentioned in this story

Luis Enrique

Paris Saint-GermainBayern MunichArsenalReal Madrid

PSG coach Luis Enrique (R) and Ousmane Dembele begin the celebrations after holding off Bayern Munich to reach another Champions League final (Odd ANDERSEN) (Odd ANDERSEN/AFP/AFP) Paris Saint-Germain have been the most thrilling outfit in Europe over the last year but Luis Enrique's side showed another side to their game as they held off Bayern Munich on Wednesday to reach a second straight Champions League final. After their epic 5-4 victory in the first leg of their semi-final, when the attacking quality of both sides made for one of the greatest games in the competition's history, PSG got the job done in the return at the Allianz Arena thanks to a brilliant early goal followed by a heroic rearguard action. Ousmane Dembele scored inside three minutes after a typically devastating counter-attack, and the French champions then set about thwarting their hosts, as Bayern very nearly failed to score in a game for the first time all season. Harry Kane did eventually equalise on the night, but his strike came too late and a 1-1 draw took PSG through 6-5 on aggregate. "Tonight showed what type of team we are," Luis Enrique told broadcaster Canal Plus. "We showed our maturity, being able to defend as well as attack. As a coach it was a pleasure to see that performance." "We can't always win with magic or extraordinary play. Today we had to defend a lot but we defended very well," added Desire Doue. The display of defensive solidarity and solidity was led by the immense Willian Pacho, the Ecuadorian who remarkably won all six of his duels on the pitch. Warren Zaire-Emery was magnificent filling in at right-back in the absence of the injured , and the 20-year-old France midfielder has been perhaps PSG's player of the season. He has played more minutes than anyone else for them, recovering from a difficult last campaign personally when he was only a bit-part member of the side that won the Champions League. His work-rate, energy and consistency have helped PSG overcome the fitness issues which threatened to derail them after an exhausting last campaign when a run to July's Club World Cup final meant they only had a three-week off-season. The Parisians had been chasing glory in Europe's elite club competition since the transformative Qatari takeover of 2011 but kept falling short, sometimes in humiliating fashion, before winning the trophy for the first time last year.

Q&A

How did PSG secure their place in the Champions League final?

PSG secured their place in the final by drawing 1-1 with Bayern Munich, winning 6-5 on aggregate after an early goal from Ousmane Dembele.

When is the Champions League final between PSG and Arsenal scheduled?

The Champions League final between PSG and Arsenal is scheduled for May 30.

What challenges did PSG face during the semi-final against Bayern Munich?

PSG faced challenges in defending against Bayern Munich's attacks but managed to hold them off, with their defense performing exceptionally well.

Who are the key players for PSG heading into the final?

Key players for PSG include Ousmane Dembele, who scored in the semi-final, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who has been decisive in the knockout stages.