{"id":18538,"date":"2026-05-06T23:13:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T23:13:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=18538"},"modified":"2026-05-06T23:30:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T23:30:28","slug":"champions-league-semi-final-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/champions-league-semi-final-review","title":{"rendered":"Champions League Semi-Final Review: Arsenal and PSG Set Up Budapest Showdown"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The 2025\/26 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/football\/league\/uefa-champions-league-572\">UEFA Champions League<\/a> has delivered its finalists, and the stage is set for one of the most compelling European Cup finals in recent memory. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/football\/team\/arsenal-104\">Arsenal<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/365scores.com\/football\/team\/psg-480\">Paris Saint-Germain<\/a> will meet at the Pusk\u00e1s Ar\u00e9na in Budapest on 30 May, a meeting between a side chasing a first-ever Champions League title and a defending champion hungry to make history back-to-back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Two semi-finals, four nights, 14 goals, and a drama-per-minute ratio that the competition&#8217;s modern era rarely matches. Here is how it all unfolded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\ud83d\udcc5 SAVE THE DATE: May 30, 2026 \u2014 Budapest.<br \/><br \/>PSG \ud83c\udd9a Arsenal.<br \/><br \/>One trophy. One night. All or nothing.<br \/><br \/>The Champions League final is set. \ud83d\udd25\ud83c\udfc6 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/xAU1gFk8mz\">pic.twitter.com\/xAU1gFk8mz<\/a><\/p>\r\n\u2014 365Scores (@365Scores) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/365Scores\/status\/2052137651050779106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">May 6, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>\r\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>It&#8217;s time for the Champions League Final<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#arsenal-1-0-atletico-madrid-2-1-on-aggregate-saka-sends-gunners-to-budapest\">Arsenal 1-0 Atl\u00e9tico Madrid (2-1 on aggregate): Saka Sends Gunners to Budapest<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#bayern-munich-1-1-psg-5-6-on-aggregate-defending-champions-hold-nerve-in-munich\">Bayern Munich 1-1 PSG (5-6 on aggregate): Defending Champions Hold Nerve in Munich<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#arsenal-vs-psg-budapest-awaits\">Arsenal vs PSG: Budapest Awaits<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#fa-qs\">FAQs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"arsenal-1-0-atletico-madrid-2-1-on-aggregate-saka-sends-gunners-to-budapest\">Arsenal 1-0 Atl\u00e9tico Madrid (2-1 on aggregate): Saka Sends Gunners to Budapest<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It was not always pretty. It was not always comfortable. But when the final whistle sounded at a roaring Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night, Arsenal had done something they had not done in 20 years: reached the Champions League final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A 1-1 draw from the first leg in Madrid, where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/football\/player\/viktor-gyokeres-64922\">Viktor Gy\u00f6keres<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/football\/player\/julian-alvarez-61973\">Juli\u00e1n Alvarez<\/a> had traded clinical penalties, left the tie perfectly balanced heading into north London. What followed was a tense, controlled, deeply felt night in front of a crowd that seemed to understand the weight of the occasion from the first minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Arsenal dominated possession without quite creating the clear-cut chances their control deserved. Atl\u00e9tico, as Diego Simeone&#8217;s sides invariably do, were disciplined, compact, and difficult to break down. Jan Oblak, as ever, was a formidable presence between the sticks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The breakthrough arrived just before the interval and it came from the game&#8217;s most reliable source. Leandro Trossard unleashed a stinging effort that Oblak could only parry, and Bukayo Saka was perfectly positioned at the back post to tap home the rebound. It was not the most spectacular goal Saka has ever scored, but it may well be the most significant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The second half belonged to Arsenal&#8217;s defensive resolve as much as their attacking intent. Declan Rice had already made a crucial early intervention to deny Giuliano Simeone, and Gabriel produced a game-saving challenge to prevent the youngster from restoring parity after getting in behind the Arsenal backline. Simeone made substitutions, throwing on Alex Baena and Thiago Almada in search of an equaliser, but the Gunners held firm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The statistics that followed full-time were staggering in their scope. Arsenal have now gone 14 games unbeaten in this season&#8217;s Champions League, the longest unbeaten run in the club&#8217;s history in the competition and, remarkably, the only time any team has reached that mark across 14 appearances in a single edition (since the revamped format) without losing. Mikel Arteta will become just the second-youngest manager to lead Arsenal in a major European final. For Antoine Griezmann, it was a farewell to this season&#8217;s continental stage, his influence nullified throughout by a defence that conceded just half an expected goal across the entire second leg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Arsenal&#8217;s reward: a shot at the European Cup, the one trophy that has eluded the club throughout its history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2274757882-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 05: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal celebrates scoring his sides first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025\/26 Semi Final Second Leg match between Arsenal FC and Atletico de Madrid at Arsenal Stadium on May 05, 2026 in London, England. \" class=\"wp-image-18544\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2274757882-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2274757882-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2274757882-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2274757882-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2274757882-scaled.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by Alex Pantling &#8211; UEFA\/UEFA via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"bayern-munich-1-1-psg-5-6-on-aggregate-defending-champions-hold-nerve-in-munich\">Bayern Munich 1-1 PSG (5-6 on aggregate): Defending Champions Hold Nerve in Munich<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If Arsenal&#8217;s tie was a study in tactical patience and defensive resolve, the other semi-final was something else entirely. The first leg at the Parc des Princes on 28 April was, by near-universal consensus, the greatest single-leg Champions League semi-final since the format was introduced in its modern form. Nine goals, Kvaratskhelia and Demb\u00e9l\u00e9 both netting twice, Harry Kane scoring from the spot for Bayern, and an end-to-end spectacle that set a new goalscoring record for a Champions League semi-final leg. PSG edged it 5-4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wednesday&#8217;s second leg at the Allianz Arena could hardly have started worse for Bayern Munich. Within three minutes, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/football\/player\/khvicha-kvaratskhelia-65803\">Khvicha Kvaratskhelia<\/a>, again irrepressible, slid a perfectly weighted assist into the path of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/football\/player\/ousmane-dembele-39779\">Ousmane Demb\u00e9l\u00e9<\/a>, who finished with the kind of clinical calm that has defined his season. Suddenly PSG led 6-4 on aggregate, and Bayern needed to score three goals against one of the most complete squads in European football.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What followed was 80-odd minutes of Bayern pressing and PSG absorbing, Luis Enrique&#8217;s side content to sit deep and suffocate the German champions in their own stadium. D\u00e9sir\u00e9 Dou\u00e9 rattled the post in a rare counter-attacking moment. Manuel Neuer was called upon to make saves that underlined why he remains among the elite. The Allianz Arena roared, but PSG held.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was left to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/football\/player\/harry-kane-1669\">Harry Kane<\/a>, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, to give the occasion its final twist. His 14th Champions League goal of the season, in 13 appearances, gave Bayern the faintest hope, but the whistle came before they could find another. PSG advanced 6-5 on aggregate and did so with a defensive performance that felt like a statement of intent: they are not merely a brilliant attacking side, they can grind when grinding is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Vincent Kompany, it was a painful evening. His Bayern side had been extraordinary across both legs, scoring five times, yet it was not enough.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83d\udd35\ud83d\udd34 PSG ARE BACK IN THE UCL FINAL AGAIN. \ud83c\udfc6<br><br>For the second consecutive season, Paris Saint-Germain have booked their place in the Champions League final after knocking out Bayern Munich.<br><br>Now, they face Arsenal for the ultimate prize.<br><br>Can PSG make it back-to-back titles? Or\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pnC5MmI3uT\">pic.twitter.com\/pnC5MmI3uT<\/a><\/p>&mdash; 365Scores (@365Scores) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/365Scores\/status\/2052131138995417308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">May 6, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"arsenal-vs-psg-budapest-awaits\">Arsenal vs PSG: Budapest Awaits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The final is set. Arsenal, unbeaten across 14 Champions League matches this season, face a PSG side who are the reigning European champions and who arrive in Budapest having already secured the French Super Cup and within touching distance of another Ligue 1 title. Luis Enrique&#8217;s squad are chasing a historic treble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>PSG and Bayern have been the two highest-scoring sides in the competition this season, with 43 and 42 goals respectively. Arsenal have been the competition&#8217;s most resilient team, keeping 30 clean sheets across all competitions. The collision of those two identities, PSG&#8217;s explosive, multi-dimensional attack against Arsenal&#8217;s unbreakable defensive structure and Saka&#8217;s match-winning capacity, is the stuff of final previews that write themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Pusk\u00e1s Ar\u00e9na on 30 May. A first-time winner of the European Cup guaranteed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"719\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2274698149-719x1024.jpg\" alt=\"LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 05: William Saliba of Arsenal celebrates progressing to the final of the UEFA Champions League 2025\/26 after the team's victory in the UEFA Champions League 2025\/26 Semi Final Second Leg match between Arsenal FC and Atletico de Madrid at Arsenal Stadium on May 05, 2026 in London, England. \" class=\"wp-image-18545\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2274698149-719x1024.jpg 719w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2274698149-211x300.jpg 211w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2274698149-768x1094.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2274698149-1078x1536.jpg 1078w, https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2274698149-scaled.jpg 1437w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 719px) 100vw, 719px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(Photo by David Price\/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fa-qs\">FAQs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>When is the 2026 Champions League final?<\/strong><br>The final takes place on Saturday, 30 May 2026, at the Pusk\u00e1s Ar\u00e9na in Budapest, Hungary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Who are the finalists?<\/strong><br>Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain will contest the 2026 Champions League final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How did Arsenal reach the final?<\/strong><br>Arsenal beat Atl\u00e9tico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate across both semi-final legs, with Bukayo Saka scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 second-leg win at the Emirates Stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How did PSG reach the final?<\/strong><br>PSG beat Bayern Munich 6-5 on aggregate. They won the first leg 5-4 in Paris and drew 1-1 in Munich, with Ousmane Demb\u00e9l\u00e9 scoring the crucial away goal in the third minute of the second leg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Have Arsenal been in a Champions League final before?<\/strong><br>Yes, once. Arsenal reached the final in 2006, where they lost to Barcelona in Paris. This is their second appearance in the final and their first in 20 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Are PSG the defending champions?<\/strong><br>Yes. PSG won the Champions League for the first time in their history last season, beating Inter Milan 5-0 in the final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>By Nicky Helfgott \/ @NickyHelfgott1 on Twitter (X)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep up with all the latest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/uefa-champions-league-572\/stats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Champions League stats<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/where-to-watch\">where to watch<\/a> &amp; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/en-us\/football\/league\/uefa-champions-league-572\/news\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">latest news<\/a> on the&nbsp;365Scores website and app!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 2025\/26 UEFA Champions League has delivered its finalists, and the stage is set for one of the most compelling European Cup finals in recent memory. Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain will meet at the Pusk\u00e1s Ar\u00e9na in Budapest on 30 May, a meeting between a side chasing a first-ever Champions League title and a defending &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":18541,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2509,9],"tags":[182,66,179,5143,244,1126,5142,1163,2869,309,3056,3479,2853,225,316,60,5141,2744,1306,748],"class_list":["post-18538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-champions-league","category-soccer","tag-arsenal","tag-atletico-madrid","tag-bayern-munich","tag-budapest-final","tag-bukayo-saka","tag-champions-league","tag-champions-league-final-2026","tag-declan-rice","tag-diego-simeone","tag-harry-kane","tag-khvicha-kvaratskhelia","tag-leandro-trossard","tag-luis-enrique","tag-mikel-arteta","tag-ousmane-dembele","tag-psg","tag-ucl-semi-final","tag-viktor-gyokeres","tag-vincent-kompany","tag-william-saliba","article_type-discover","entity_type-competition","entity_type-competitor","inspiration-365s-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18538","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18538"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18538\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18548,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18538\/revisions\/18548"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18538"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18538"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}