Champions League | Semi-Finals | 1st Leg

Apr 29, 2025 at 8pm UK

Emirates Stadium

Arsenal vs PSG

Match preview

As the glass-half-full Real Madrid faithful contemplated the prospect of a remarkable remontada, Arteta's Arsenal had one goal in mind: to see off Carlo Ancelotti's men on their own turf and end Los Blancos' recent reign of European supremacy.

The Gunners did just that, and then some, in the Spanish capital, building on an impressive 3-0 home win in the first leg of their quarter-final with an even more impressive 2-1 win at the Bernabeu to seal an incredible 5-1 aggregate victory over the most successful team in the competition's history. And they deserved it.

Without a recognised striker and without Gabriel Magalhaes' attacking set-pieces, Arsenal came into the clash with Los Blancos with a big underdog sticker on their backs, but the Gunners made the most of their absence to reach the Champions League semi-finals for only the third time in their history and the first time since 2009.

Having lost to Manchester United that year, three seasons after their final heartbreak at the hands of Barcelona, the North London giants have a 50 per cent success rate from previous UCL semi-finals, but there is no doubting the Gunners' credentials as genuine contenders for a long-awaited crown.

Indeed, Arteta has overseen a magnificent eight-match unbeaten run in the 2024-25 Champions League - the hosts' longest since a 12-match run in 2005-06 - while they coincidentally go into Tuesday's game unbeaten in 12 matches in all competitions, winning six and drawing six.

However, Arsenal's frequent inability to hold on to leads came back to bite them in Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace in the Premier League - a result that left Liverpool a point adrift of the title - and nine stalemates while leading the 2024-25 English top flight is more than any other side.

Such weaknesses must be exposed if Luis Enrique's men are not to suffer the same fate as soon-to-be-dethroned champions Real Madrid, but Les Parisiens are not afraid of the English, having beaten two of Arsenal's Premier League rivals in quick succession.

Arne Slot's Liverpool and Unai Emery's Aston Villa were both no match for the young, dynamic Les Parisiens over two legs, although a 3-2 second-leg defeat to the latter in the quarter-finals - inconsequential though it was - proved that the giants of the capital are not immortal.

If PSG's recent Ligue 1 travails are anything to go by, that Villa Park defeat was their sixth in a row; in their three domestic games since then, they have eked out a 2-1 win over Le Havre, drawn 1-1 with Nantes and lost their invincibility with a shock home defeat to Nice on Friday night.

However, Enrique's men can afford to take their eye off the ball at home with the Ligue 1 title already in their grasp, and having held Nantes to a 2-2 draw on 22 April, they are now on a sensational 18-game unbeaten run away from home in all competitions.

However, Les Parisiens' attack was stunted by a 2-0 league defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates on 1 October, a result that extended Arsenal's unbeaten run against PSG to five matches since their first meeting.

In fact, PSG have met no other team in European competition more often without ever winning than Arsenal, who will need to repeat their Real Madrid trick in front of a raucous Emirates crowd if they are to have any chance of catching Barcelona or Inter Milan on 31 May.

Recent Performance

Arsenal Champions League form:WWWDWW

Arsenal form (all competitions):DWDWWD

Paris Saint-Germain Champions League form:WWLWWL

Paris Saint-Germain form (all competitions):WWLWDL

Team News

Long-serving Arsenal lynchpin Thomas Partey was given an earful by Declan Rice at the Bernabeu, and rightly so, as the Ghana international had just picked up a needless yellow card that will rule him out of Tuesday's first leg through suspension.

Partey's punishment is particularly problematic given that Arteta's only other true number six, Jorginho, is out for the season with a chest injury, meaning Rice is likely to drop down the pitch and Mikel Merino will start at left-back.

This scenario is dependent on Merino shaking off an unspecified concern, but the Spaniard is expected to be given the green light to make the squad, as is Ben White (knee).

However, Riccardo Calafiori is a much bigger doubt with a knee problem of his own, while Gabriel (hamstring), Kai Havertz (hamstring), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), Gabriel Jesus (ACL) and Jorginho (chest) are all out.

On the other hand, a clean bill of health has been key to PSG's progress in Europe, and Enrique is expected to have every player at his disposal for the trip to the Emirates.

The ex-Barcelona boss did not hesitate to field a full-strength side against Nice, and the majority of that starting XI should be retained despite the unsatisfactory result, although Bradley Barcola will be knocking on the door to take Desire Doue's place.

An astonishing season for Ousmane Dembele has seen the Frenchman register 44 direct goals in 44 games - 32 of his own and 12 assists - but his form has waned in recent weeks and he has now gone six games without scoring in Ligue 1 and the Champions League.

Possible starting lineup

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Rice, Merino; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:

Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Ruiz, Vitinha, Neves; Barcola, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia