ARTICLE AD BOX
Arsenal’s Champions League dreams rest on overturning a 1-0 deficit against Paris Saint-Germain as the pair battle for the right to meet Inter Milan in the Champions League final.
The Italian club await the victor of the second semi-final in Munich later this month after prevailing across two legs and extra time in a Champions League classic against Barcelona. The first half of this encounter perhaps lacked the thrills of that tie but nevertheless proved mightily intriguing, with PSG deservedly emerging with a slender lead to take back to the Parc des Princes.
Mikel Arteta’s men are far from out of the tie, though, as they seek another famous European night. Their latest league set-back between the legs was far from ideal but showed how fully Arsenal are focussed on this affair as two sides yet to win the competition vie for a place in the decider.
Inter Milan await the winners after a thrilling win v Barcelona - but was it the greatest ever semi-final?
After a game that pushed emotions to extremes, an exhausted Simone Inzaghi became philosophical.
That’s at least for anyone on the pitch, or those with an emotional connection to either club. For everyone else, such exertions just created full enjoyment; total spectacle; complete glory… an “epic” as the Spanish newspapers proclaimed.
This was just one of those matches - let alone the entire tie - that is so immersive it becomes a celebration of the pure game as it’s played, no matter everything else around it. This is why football is the most popular sport in the world. “Que locura” - “what a madness” - a member of the Barcelona contingent could be seen mouthing after four hours of absorbing football.
That’s another way to sum it up. To take Inzaghi’s point and turn it on its head, though, there’s arguably no final that has gone to these extremes. Run through it now. How many truly great Champions League finals have there been over the last few years, or even this millennium? Arguably only 2005.
Jack Rathborn7 May 2025 14:31
PSG v Arsenal predicted line-ups
PSG XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia.
Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Merino, Martinelli.
Jack Rathborn7 May 2025 14:29
PSG v Arsenal team news
For the hosts, Luis Enrique rested the majority of his starters for the loss against Strasbourg at the weekend, and the Spaniard confirmed that Dembele will be fit to face the Gunners after picking up a rumoured hamstring strain in the first leg.
Elsewhere, Presnel Kimpembe and Lee Kang In look like they will miss the second leg, though Lucas Hernandez may have recovered in time.
Jurrien Timber is the main doubt for Arsenal after missing the loss to Bournemouth, though both him and Martin Odegaard trained on Tuesday. The Gunners will also welcome back Thomas Partey after he was suspended for the first leg.
Jorginho remains out alongside Kai Havertz, though Riccardo Calafiori has returned to training and Arteta will hope he can call upon the Italian if needed on Wednesday night.
Jack Rathborn7 May 2025 14:28
Are Arsenal nearing a bleak peak under Mikel Arteta? Crunch PSG clash could reveal the truth
Mikel Arteta inherited a team in the wrong half of the Premier League. A year later, they were 15th. As Arsenal are in their first Champions League semi-final for 16 years, their manager can testify that the path forward can be long and winding and sometimes seem to involve going backwards.
Eliminating Real Madrid seemed a giant step forward, especially given the emphatic nature of home and away triumphs, of Declan Rice’s twin man-of-the-match performances, of how, one William Saliba error apart, Arsenal shut out European football’s resident superpower.
A home defeat by Paris Saint-Germain did not initially appear a platform to reach just a second Champions League final in their history. Overturning that 1-0 deficit, turning their trip into Paris into an evening destined for a place in Arsenal folklore, and progressing would be both obvious and dramatic. Don’t, and the verdict would depend in part on the manner of Arsenal’s exit: heroic or resounding, narrowly overcome or clearly beaten.
Jack Rathborn7 May 2025 14:28
Arsenal’s season now rests on return of this crucial quality against PSG
Ahead of a night that means everything for Arsenal, Declan Rice duly gave all of the lines you would want for such an occasion. The midfielder talked of how Arsenal “need to have big balls”, adding they are in Paris “to make a statement” and have “full belief” in creating “a special night”.
Rice speaks with an almost religious fervour in such situations, which is probably required.
So far so good, until his manager came in.
“Let’s not do the talking,” Mikel Arteta said. “Let’s do tomorrow on that pitch. So the best, best, best, best version and win the game.”
There is at least “full clarity” to the situation, as the manager put it. Arsenal need to beat Paris Saint-Germain to get into the Champions League final. Arteta played up to how special it could be, as he insisted on describing it as “one of the most beautiful” games in his time at Arsenal, rather than the biggest.
Jack Rathborn7 May 2025 14:28
PSG v Arsenal - Champions League semi-final, second leg
Welcome to the Independent’s Champions League coverage of PSG v Arsenal in the semi-finals.
If tonight’s game is half as good as Inter v Barcelona, we’re in for a treat as the Gunners look to overturn a 1-0 aggregate deficit in the second leg at the Parc des Princes.
Mikel Arteta has issued a rallying cry to boost hopes of a famous finale to the season in the Munich final.
Thought Luis Enrique’s side remain favourites to progress thanks to Ousmane Dembele’s early strike at the Emirates.
Follow for all the build-up in Paris and latest team news as Arsenal make a late call on Jurrien Timber’s condition.
Jack Rathborn7 May 2025 14:27
English (US) ·