Khvicha Kvaratskhelia wins the title for PSG; Arsenal’s dreams broken
PSG‘s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was absolutely brilliant in the UEFA Champions League final against Arsenal, marking the end to one of his best seasons with a performance to match. As per reports by Foot Mercato, the Georgian is surely one of the favourites to contend for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. However, it is a shame that Georgia could not qualify for the World Cup to be held in the United States of America, and the winger will have to depend solely on his performances for his club to win the coveted award.
After Arsenal opened early on at Budapest, Arteta’s men shifted to their signature defensive style of play, and PSG, for a long time, could not find any space in which to exploit the organised defensive structure of the London club. However, it was through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia that PSG found their chance to equalise, which they capitalised on. In the 65th minute of the game, the Georgian winger was brought down in the penalty area, and French forward Ousmane Dembélé converted the subsequent penalty kick to make the score 1-1.
Although the score remained the same for the rest of the game, and the match was decided on penalties, it was this goal that rejuvenated the French side. Kvaratskhelia and his substitute, Bradley Barcola, both hit the post. In particular, the performance of the former was one to note, as although he could not manage his characteristic dribbles, he still put the Arsenal defence to the test with his numerous attempts and excellent hold-up play.
All in all, this has been a brilliant season for the 26-year-old, as he won numerous trophies with the club and himself won no less than three Man of the Match awards in the knockout stages of the Champions League. Apart from the final, Kvaratskhelia scored in each match of the knockout stages; this run included a hat-trick in the Round of 16.
At the post-match interview, Kvaratskhelia said, “The emotions I can’t describe… We deserved to win.”
Capping off a brilliant personal and collective season at Budapest with the greatest trophy that European club football can offer, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will surely be hoping to win the Ballon d’Or.
