Arsenal shift focus to Champions League, PSV tie vital after title hopes fade | OneFootball

Arsenal are back in the Champions League knockout stage, looking to go further than last season’s quarter-final exit.

Their last-16 tie against PSV Eindhoven represents not just a test of their European credentials but also one of their best chances at silverware this season.

With Liverpool pulling away at the top of the Premier League, a domestic title looks unlikely. Mikel Arteta’s side sit second, 13 points behind the leaders, and while maintaining their position remains important, their strongest shot at success lies in Europe.

Arsenal impressed in the group stage, with only Liverpool and Barcelona outperforming them. Their defensive record — conceding the lowest expected goals (xG) in the competition — was particularly strong.

Knockout football, however, presents a different challenge. Arteta has refused to entertain title talk, keeping his focus solely on PSV. “I just see one opponent, which is PSV,” he said. “That’s it.”

He knows the Dutch side are dangerous. They eliminated Juventus in the previous round, showing resilience and attacking quality.

Arsenal’s own attack has looked blunt in recent weeks. Injuries to key forwards have left them short of firepower, with goalless outings against West Ham United and Nottingham Forest highlighting their struggles.

That makes their defensive solidity even more crucial. “The defensive record is critical,” Arteta admitted. “We’ve shown we have the capacity to score a lot of goals, but the team still has a lot of resources to do that.”

PSV’s defensive record offers Arsenal an opening. They have kept just one clean sheet in the Champions League this season and have struggled domestically, losing twice to Go Ahead Eagles in the past two weeks.

However, the hosts are unbeaten in four home games against Arsenal, making this a tricky fixture.

The Gunners must strike the right balance between defensive stability and attacking intent. They cannot afford to rely on a second-leg comeback if things go wrong.

Arteta’s message to his squad is clear: execute the plan, lift performance levels, and deliver. “Every individual has to be at their best,” he said. “When we do that, we are a really strong team.”

Winning the Champions League would be a monumental achievement, but Arsenal cannot look past PSV. Arteta’s ‘tunnel vision’ approach is crucial.

A positive result in Eindhoven would be a step forward, but nothing will come easy.