PSG vs Arsenal: Three tactical battles that will decide Champions League semi-final decider | OneFootball

Where second leg in Paris could be won and lost

Here, Standard Sport looks at where the semi-final second leg could be won and lost.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia vs Jurrien Timber

After missing almost the entirety of his debut season with a knee injury, Timber has been one of Arsenal’s outstanding performers this term.

Timber struggled against Kvaratskhelia in the first leg last week

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It is difficult, though, to recall the Dutchman being troubled quite so much as he was by Kvaratskhelia during last week’s first leg.

Timber was fortunate to avoid the early yellow card that would have made the duel even more of a challenge and lines up tonight under at least a small fitness cloud having sat out the weekend’s defeat to Bournemouth.

He will have to be at his very best to keep the Georgian quiet.

Joao Neves vs Declan Rice

Maybe the two outstanding midfield players in the knockout stages of this competition so far, though Pedri may have a thing or two to say about that.

Neves dictated the tempo of the first leg with his passing and also made a vital, goal-saving challenge in his own box while Rice was slightly inhibited by having to play a more disciplined, deeper role in the absence of Thomas Partey.

Rice will have a different role in the second leg with Thomas Partey available again after suspension

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Partey’s return from suspension tonight will free up Rice, who showed one or two signs in the second-half at the Emirates of his true running power, which PSG’s technical trio struggled to live with.

Whoever emerges as the dominant midfield force this evening will have gone a long way towards settling the tie.

Nuno Mendes vs Bukayo Saka

As much as Arsenal may hope to exploit the space left by Achraf Hakimi’s attacking raids on the opposite flank, it is ultimately with Saka that their chief threat lies.

Mendes did an excellent job on Saka in the first leg

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Mendes did an excellent job on Arsenal’s talisman in the home leg, winning 10 of his 11 duels across the course of the match, but there were still flickers of Saka’s ability to best just about any full-back on the planet.

Saka is clearly still rediscovering his rhythm post-injury and may drift in and out of the game, but showed in the previous round against Real Madrid how even in small moments - winning free-kicks, say - he can affect a tie.