PSG retain Champions League title with shoot-out win over Arsenal

Paris St Germain's Lucas Beraldo, Desire Doue, Warren Zaire-Emery and Illia Zabarnyi celebrate after winning the UEFA Champions League. REUTERS

Paris St Germain retained their Champions League title with a penalty shoot-out victory over Arsenal after a 1-1 draw in a cagey final in the Puskas Arena on Saturday.

Arsenal's Gabriel blazed his penalty over the crossbar to give PSG a 4-3 victory on spot kicks.

The French champions made the worst possible start after Kai Havertz fired Arsenal into the lead in the sixth minute, lashing a rising shot past PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov.

It looked like PSG would find no way through the meanest defence in Europe but Ousmane Dembele levelled from the penalty spot in the 65th minute after a foul by Cristhian Mosquera on Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

A scrappy period of extra time could not separate the sides but PSG held their nerve in the shootout to become the second club in the Champions League era to win the trophy in successive seasons.