PSG vs Arsenal – Champions League match preview and team news

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·7 mai 2025

PSG vs Arsenal – Champions League match preview and team news

The winner of tonight’s semi-final tie between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal will face Inter Milan in the Champions League final.

PSG hold a slender advantage over the Gunners heading into the second leg. Last Tuesday, Luis Enrique’s side took a precious lead back to the French capital courtesy of Ousmane Dembele’s fourth-minute goal.

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The Parisians are operating with an almost fully fit squad. Dembele has been cleared fit to play despite being forced off in the first leg with a hamstring strain. The likes of Willian Pacho, Vitinha, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia were completely rested as unused substitutes over the weekend.

Arsenal or Paris to join Inter in the final? 👇 #UCLbracket | @cryptocom
– mardi 6 mai 2025

Central defender Presnel Kimpembe is the only major doubt with a foot problem. The Frenchman’s injury-plagued campaign has seen him limited to only five senior appearances.

Arsenal must prevail in Paris to progress to the Champions League final. They enter the second leg in a sour mood after losing at home to Bournemouth on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta’s defensive options have been bolstered by the availability of Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori. Timber has shaken off a knock that prevented him from featuring at the weekend, while Calafiori has recovered from a knee injury he sustained on international duty in March.

Flamengo-bound Jorginho is still out with a rib issue but Thomas Partey is back at Arteta’s disposal after missing the first leg through suspension.

PSG vs Arsenal- Champions League match preview and team news

Form

PSG: WDLWL

After going invincible for almost the entire league campaign, PSG have now lost their last two matches in Ligue 1.

Luis Enrique made 10 changes at the weekend, which proved costly as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to Strasbourg.

Prior to that loss, PSG also dropped points to Nantes before being conquered by Nice at the Parc des Princes.

Standards have inevitably slipped since they were crowned Ligue 1 champions a fortnight ago. The Parisians’ main priority is clinching the club’s first-ever Champions League honour. They are just 90 minutes away from only their second final, where they would face Inter at the Allianz Arena.

Arsenal: WWDLL

Arsenal’s preparation for tonight’s tie has not gone smoothly after they were defeated 2-1 on home soil by Bournemouth.

Two second-half goals from the Cherries overturned a deficit as Bournemouth became only the second team to win at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League this term.

🔴 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛𝘿𝘼𝙔 ⚪️ 🆚 PSG 🕗 8pm (UK) 🏆 Champions League 🏟️ Parc des Princes
– mercredi 7 mai 2025

That result has jeopardised their chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season. A few weeks ago their spot looked guaranteed, but after only one win in five league outings, the Gunners need to beat at least one of Liverpool, Newcastle or Southampton to guarantee their place among Europe’s elite.

Like PSG, Arsenal have also never lifted the Champions League. Mikel Arteta will be attempting to take a gigantic step forward in their quest by succeeding in the ground he used to call home as a player.

Last Meeting: Arsenal 0-1 PSG, Champions League, 29th April 2025

Ousmane Dembele’s precise finish was the difference in the first leg as PSG triumphed in North London.

It took just four minutes for the French giants to break the deadlock at the Emirates Stadium.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia poked the ball back to Dembele, who swept an effort onto the post and past David Raya. The home crowd were stunned while the travelling support erupted in elation.

PSG were devastating in transition and posed Arsenal several issues on the flanks. Kvaratskhelia tormented Jurrien Timber, but the full-back survived humiliation by deflecting the Georgian’s shot into his goalkeeper’s hands.

Desire Doue then forced Raya into a smart stop low to his right. Mikel Arteta’s side were certainly struggling to contain the fluid Parisian attack.

On the stroke of half-time, Gabriel Martinelli had a glorious chance to equalise. As the Brazilian opened up his body to shoot, PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma managed to telegraph the attempt and produced a strong save.

Within two minutes of the restart, the Gunners thought they had restored parity only for VAR to disallow the goal. Mikel Merino strayed marginally offside from a set-piece situation just before heading past Donnarumma.

Arsenal were much improved in the second period but couldn’t breach Donnarumma’s goal. The formidable Italian produced a fingertip save to deny Leandro Trossard’s drive.

In the closing stages, substitutes Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos both missed gilt-edged opportunities to double their advantage. The former dragged a shot wide before Ramos smashed the crossbar with an unorthodox toe poke.

PSG travelled back over the Channel with a narrow lead to protect in the second leg. For Arsenal, it was an underwhelming night of European football that failed to live up to expectations.

Predicted Lineups

PSG: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia.

Arsenal: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Merino.

Who is the referee?

German referee Felix Zwayer will be the match official. Robert Kempter and Christian Dietz will assist him while Harm Osmers will be the fourth official. Bastian Dankert is on VAR duty while Benjamin Brand will assist him.