Paris Saint-Germain secured a second straight Champions League crown, edging Arsenal 4-3 on penalties after a tense final at the Puskas Arena, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia insisted the performance justified the result as Luis Enrique’s side dominated large spells against the Premier League club.
The French champions are only the second team in the modern Champions League era to defend the trophy, matching Real Madrid’s run between 2016 and 2018, while also becoming the first club from France to lift the European Cup or Champions League in consecutive seasons.
PSG also matched a historical mark by completing league and Champions League doubles in back-to-back campaigns, a feat previously achieved only by Real Madrid in 1956-57 and 1957-58, and Ajax
in 1971-72 and 1972-73, underlining the club’s sustained control domestically and in Europe.
Across this Champions League season, Luis Enrique’s side scored 45 goals, which equals Barcelona’s single-campaign record from 1999-2000, and the data from the final backed their attacking strength, with PSG producing 21 shots worth 1.8 expected goals and enjoying 75% possession against Arsenal.
The final itself saw Arsenal strike first, with Kai Havertz scoring in the sixth minute, but PSG responded after the interval when Ousmane Dembele converted a second-half penalty, and the match moved to a shoot-out where Goncalo Ramos stepped up to take the opening kick for his team.
Ramos later reflected on the pressure of that role, saying: "It's a dream come true, it's difficult, Goncalo Ramos told TNT Sports. We have a lot of personality, and we show we are ready. " Ramos added: "I love these types of moments, I'm a striker, and I'm always ready to take the penalty. I want to be there in the big moments. Everybody believes in each other, and every player can help. We are confident in every player. "
Champions League success, squad unity and Luis Enrique’s influence at PSG
Kvaratskhelia emphasised the emotional impact of the victory and PSG’s overall display, stating: "It's amazing, really. The emotions I cannot describe, Kvaratskhelia said, as quoted by BBC Sport. I am really proud I'm part of this team. We had a difficult season, but we were capable. We are back-to-back champions. In the penalties, you need luck, but you also have to work on them, and we did it. We deserved to win, I think, because we had many chances to score. "
Another key figure, Achraf Hakimi, highlighted the role of the coach and the collective spirit within the squad, noting: "It's not easy to do it back-to-back, but we did, Achraf Hakimi said, as quoted by BBC Sport. I say every time the same, the coach is the big voice of the club. We follow him, we trust in him. Since day one, he told us the team is more important than the player. We are really happy to have him. We have created not just a team but a family. "
Champions League records for PSG manager Luis Enrique
For Luis Enrique, this latest success is a third European Cup or Champions League title as a manager, placing the Spaniard behind only Carlo Ancelotti, who holds five, and Luis Enrique now has the best win percentage in competition history among coaches with at least 50 games, standing at 63.3%.
These achievements leave PSG with a growing list of historical markers in the Champions League era, combining statistical dominance, tactical clarity and composure in decisive moments, and the squad’s comments suggest confidence that the blend of experience, collective mentality and Enrique’s guidance has been central across both recent European campaigns.
