WHO: Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) vs Arsenal
Contents: UEFA Champions League semi-finals, second leg
Location: Paris Princess, Paris, France
When: Wednesday at 9pm (19:00 GMT)
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PSG and Arsenal continue their quest to win the Maiden UEFA Champions League title when they clash in the second round of the Paris semi-finals.
PSG’s away victory over the gunners in the opening leg of Emirates Stadium on April 29th has strengthened the Parisian as a favourite for their progress to the Finals.
The Gunners face the difficult challenge of having to beat the French champions on the road on Wednesday if they want to reach the Champions League final for the second time in history.
Here’s all to know before the semi-finals between the two most talented football clubs in Europe.
What happened to the legs at the opening?
PSG took a big step to reach the final when Osmandembele’s early goal sealed a 1-0 victory at Arsenal in the tense Game 1 of the semi-finals.
Dembele fired the house from the post in four minutes as PSG dominated the opening stage, and manager Luis Enrique’s team had valuable advantages for the French capital.
When did Arsenal and PSG reach the UEFA Champions League final?
Neither team has won the best football competition in Europe, but both have lost the finals.
PSG made its only final appearance in the 2019-2020 season, losing 1-0 to Germany’s Bayern Munich at Estadiodals in Lisbon, Portugal.
Arsenal’s participation in the UEFA Champions League Finals was 19 years ago for Gunners fans, losing to Barcelona 2-1 at Stade de France in France in San Denis, France in the 2005-2006 season.
Team News: PSG
Star striker Dembele is well worthy of playing in the return leg, limping in minor hamstring tension after winning the match against Arsenal in London’s first leg, Enrique said Tuesday.
The 27-year-old Dembele is the top PSG goalscorer this season, scoring 33 goals in all competitions.
The PSG regular team has not been injured by Desies Doue, who was tilted to re-enter the role of an offensive winger at the expense of French international Bradleavercola.
Team News: Arsenal
Major midfielder Thomas Party sits the first leg against PSG on the suspension before returning to the side and restores manager Mikel Arteta’s priority midfield trio along with Declan Rice and Martin Odegard.
Jurrien Timber is suspicious of this match as he continues to fight back to full fitness after a knee injury. But some good news for the club is that the Dutch defender was trained with the Gunners team just before his departure for France on Tuesday.
Bystanders Kai Herberts, Ricardo Carafioli and Giorguinho are all likely to play by the end of the Premier League season, but unless Arsenal reaches the finals at the end of May, they are not competing for Champions League choices.
Gabriel, Gabriel Jesus and Touhiro Tomiyas are all out until next season.
Possible lineup:
Arsenal Possible XI: Raya; Wood, Saliva, Kiwior, Lewis Skelly. Part, Rice, Odegard; Saka, Merino, Martinelli
PSG-enabled XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Vicinha, Fabian Lewis, Joan Neves. Kvaratskhelia, Dembele, Doue
Head-on:
The team has played six times in all competitions previously.
Arsenal Victory: 3 PSG Victory: 1 Draw: 2
What the manager had to say:
Arsenal’s Arteta: “If you want to participate in the Champions League final, you have to do something special. You have to do something special in Paris.”
PSG’s Enrique: “We’re going to suffer because our opponents don’t have a positive outcome. We need to match performances as closely as possible on the first leg.
When and where will the 2025 UEFA Champions League Finals be?
The winner of this semi-final will head to Germany on May 31 for the Champions League final.
The largest annual exhibition of European football takes place at the Allianz Arena, 75,000 capacity in Munich.
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