Ousmane Dembélé's early goal proved decisive as Paris Saint-Germain held off Bayern Munich 1-0 in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final, securing a 2-0 aggregate victory and a final showdown with Arsenal. The French winger struck in the third minute, finishing a precise pull-back from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to give PSG a lead they never relinquished.
Bayern, who had fallen behind quickly in their quarter-final against Real Madrid, struggled to find their rhythm. Despite dominating possession, the German side lacked sharpness in the final third, with Harry Kane's late strike being their only real threat. PSG's defence, marshalled by captain Marquinhos, stood firm, with Nuno Mendes and Warren Zaïre-Emery delivering key interventions.
The only controversy came in the first half when a clearance from Vitinha struck the arm of João Neves in the box. Bayern appealed for a penalty, but the referee waved play on. Neves then forced a fine save from Manuel Neuer, who kept Bayern in the game with several stops.
PSG's resilience and counter-attacking threat were on display throughout, with Désiré Doué and Kvaratskhelia both coming close to adding a second. Vincent Kompany's Bayern side pushed hard but were ultimately outclassed by a PSG team that combined defensive solidity with moments of brilliance.
Luis Enrique's side will now face Arsenal in the final, with the task ahead for Mikel Arteta laid bare. PSG's ability to mix business with pleasure, as shown in this performance, makes them formidable opponents.
