Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Inter Milan will clash for the dominance of European soccer.
PSG won 2-1 against Arsenal in the second leg of the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League semifinals held at Parc des Princes in Paris, France, on the 8th (Korean time).
PSG, which secured a 1-0 victory in the first leg away match with a decisive goal from Ousmane Dembélé, added two more goals on this day, advancing to the final with an aggregate score of 3-1.
With this, PSG will challenge for its first Champions League title in the club's history. The final opponent is Inter Milan, which triumphed over FC Barcelona in a fierce battle on the 7th.
In this match, PSG adopted a 4-3-3 formation. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Désiré Doué, and Bradley Barcola positioned themselves at the front, while Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, and João Neves stood in the midfield. Nuno Mendes, Willian Pacho, Marquinhos, and Achraf Hakimi formed the back four, while Gianluigi Donnarumma defended the goal. Lee Kang-in remained on the bench.
Arsenal also deployed a 4-3-3 formation. Gabriel Martinelli, Mikel Merino, and Bukayo Saka formed the attacking trio, while Declan Rice, Thomas Partey, and Martin Ødegaard filled the midfield. Myles Lewis-Skelly, Jakub Kiwior, William Saliba, and Wouter Timber made up the back four, with David Raya in goal.
In the early stages, Arsenal took the initiative. Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka led active attacks, and in the 8th minute of the first half, Ødegaard's shot was blocked by goalkeeper Donnarumma, allowing PSG to escape from a scoring crisis.
Afterward, PSG responded with a quick counterattack, and in the 27th minute of the first half, Fabian Ruiz scored the opening goal with a powerful long-range shot from a free kick.
In the second half, Arsenal made a comeback, but the momentum did not change. In the 27th minute of the second half, the substitute Dembélé assisted Hakimi's goal, extending the gap to 2-0. Arsenal's Leandro Trossard and Saka fought hard, and although they scored a goal in the 31st minute of the second half, they could not find another goal and fell short. Thus, PSG has reached the Champions League final for the first time in five years.
The final opponent is Inter Milan, which is aiming for a title after 15 years.
Inter Milan faced off against FC Barcelona in the second leg of the 2024-2025 Champions League semifinals held at San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, on the 7th, winning 4-3.
The two teams, which ended the first leg with a 3-3 tie, concluded with an aggregate score of 7-6 in favor of Inter. As a result, Inter Milan advanced to the Champions League final.
Inter Milan deployed a 3-5-2 formation. Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martínez formed the attacking duo, while Federico Dimarco, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Nicolo Barella, and Denzel Dumfries made up the midfield. Alessandro Bastoni, Francesco Acerbi, and Jan Aurel Bissek formed the back three, with Yann Sommer in goal.
Barcelona used a 4-2-3-1 formation. Ferran Torres aimed to score while Raphinha, Dani Olmo, and Lamine Yamal took positions in the second line of attack. Pedri and Frenkie de Jong made up the midfield, and Gerard Martin, Inigo Martinez, Pau Cubarsi, and Eric Garcia formed the back four. Wojciech Szczęsny was in goal.
In the early stages, the momentum belonged to Inter Milan. In the 21st minute of the first half, Lautaro Martínez calmly scored the opening goal from a pass by Thuram. In the 43rd minute, Çalhanoğlu converted a penalty kick obtained after a video review (VAR) into a goal, extending the score to 2-0.
Barcelona's counterattack was not to be underestimated. In the 9th minute of the second half, Eric Garcia scored a sensational goal to pull one back, and in the 15th minute, Dani Olmo equalized with a header, turning the tide. In the 43rd minute of the second half, Raphinha's goal put them ahead 3-2, but in stoppage time, Inter's center-back Acerbi finished off Dumfries' cross, creating a dramatic 3-3 tie.
The match headed into extra time. In the 8th minute of extra time, Frattesi received a pass from Thuram and scored the decisive goal, while Barcelona launched a total offensive with Robert Lewandowski, Fermín López, and Pau Victor, but were thwarted by Sommer's saves.
Ultimately, Inter Milan advanced to the final after defeating Barcelona in a fierce match.
The two teams, which defeated Barcelona and Arsenal respectively to reach the final, will face each other on June 1 at the Fußball Arena Munich in Germany for the season finale.
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