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05/30 15:05 CDT PSG wins back-to-back Champions League titles after shootout victory against Arsenal PSG wins back-to-back Champions League titles after shootout victory against Arsenal By JAMES ROBSON AP Soccer Writer BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) --- Winning the Champions League was so nice, Paris Saint-Germain had to do it twice. PSG became back-to-back European champion by beating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties in a dramatic final in Budapest that ended 1-1 after extra time on Saturday. "It's incredible," captain Marquinhos said. "From the very first day of this season, the coach said it's hard to win, and winning twice is even more difficult. So we all had to get back to work. That was the mentality." Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes fired the last of his team's penalties over the bar to hand PSG the shootout win. The French giant is only the second team to retain the trophy in the modern era after all-time king of Europe Real Madrid. Luis Enrique became a three-time winner as a coach and has moulded a team that is simply too good even for the best the continent has to offer. That includes an Arsenal team that won the Premier League last week and topped the first stage of the Champions League with a perfect winning record, finishing 10 points and 10 places ahead of PSG. That mattered little in Puskas Stadium as PSG reaffirmed its status as the dominant force in European soccer. "It's even more special because we knew before the match how difficult it would be," Luis Enrique said. "I think it's deserved over the course of the whole season, even if the final was very closely contested." After demolishing Inter Milan 5-0 in last year's final, PSG endured a tougher foe as Arsenal sat deep and relied on the best defense in the competition. PSG dominated possession but created little after going behind to a Kai Havertz goal in the sixth minute. It took an Ousmane Dembl penalty in the 65th to level the score and take the final to extra time for the first time in 10 years. By going back to back, Luis Enrique has achieved what his good friend Pep Guardiola could not after winning Champions Leagues at Barcelona and Manchester City. Luis Enrique also joined Carlo Ancelotti, Guardiola, Bob Paisley and Zinedine Zidane in an elite group of coaches with at least three European Cups. The next target will be to emulate Madrid's three in a row under Zidane from 2016-18. And with a starting lineup in Budapest with an average age of less than 24, Luis Enrique has built a team that has the potential to dominate for years. "It's crazy, it's crazy. We're going to enjoy it first, and after we're going to work and work again because we want more. We are really hungry. We are a young team, and we know we are really ambitious. So next season we have to go again," Dsir Dou told broadcaster TNT Sports. Having waited 22 years to get its hands back on the Premier League trophy, Arsenal's wait in Europe goes on. This was its 226th game in the European Cup or Champions League without lifting the trophy. No other team has played so many without being champion. There were times when it looked as though that streak would be snapped. Especially when PSG looked so short of ideas after going behind to Havertz's breakaway early goal. By scoring so early the tone was set and Arsenal seemed comfortable to sit back and soak up pressure. PSG struggled to find openings and looked edgy in possession. On an evening that kicked off with a pre-match show by rock band The Killers that sounded off in the acoustics of the stadium, PSG also fell a little flat and registered just one shot on target in the first half. It was given a way back into the final when Cristhian Mosquera brought down Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the box and referee Daniel Siebert pointed to the spot. Ballon d'Or holder Dembl made no mistake, firing low to the left as Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya dived the wrong way. Red flares were lit by PSG fans, likely as much in relief as celebration. There were rare chances for PSG to win in regulation. Kvaratskhelia hit the post in the 77th after a rapid breakaway and substitute Bradley Barcola wasted another opportunity to seal it at the death when firing wide. Arsenal was limited to 24.7% possession --- the lowest in a final since records began in 2004, according to stats provider Opta. But Mikel Arteta's dogged and determined team pushed PSG all the way, even in the shootout. PSG's Eberechi Eze missed an earlier spot kick but Raya saved from Nuno Mendes to keep the score level. Lucas Beraldo converted the last of PSG's spot kicks, meaning Gabriel had to convert to take it to sudden death. But he blasted high over the bar into a section of PSG fans, who erupted in celebrations along with their two-time champion team. ___ James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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