Other Competitions
UCL Preview: PSG head to Arsenal
The Champions League semifinals are set to get underway tomorrow in London as Ligue 1 McDonald's champions Paris Saint-Germain square off with English side Arsenal -- read on for our preview of the first leg.
A rebound needed
After a shock defeat to OGC Nice on Friday, the Ligue 1 McDonald's champions will need to bounce back, and quickly as they make this cross-channel trip to face a side likely to finish second in the Premier League, but who remain a dangerous opponent despite their absences. Luis Enrique's side, to their credit, will have a full complement of players, and the manager's only choices seem to be in attack, where he'll have decide which two of Bradley Barcola, Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia start on the flanks in his preferred 4-3-3.
In a pre-match press conference, Enrique also underscored the fact that while his side might have lost to the English outfit earlier in the competition, he sees dramatic changes in his team -- something borne out by their impressive progress in the knockout rounds. Said Enrique, "We are a more complete team [than in the league phase] and we now want to write a page in history. It was 1 October, seven months ago [when we lost to Arsenal]. I think there are big differences. I rewatched the match and saw our progress. I think we're a better team, we've shown that throughout the competition."
See you tomorrow! 👋#ARSPSG | #UCL pic.twitter.com/5XzsSYJrVP
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) April 28, 2025
Injury-hit gunners limp into tie
While any realistic chance of Arsenal snatching the Premier League title from the clutches of Liverpool has long since dissipated, the Gunners' form of late domestically has reflected a side who are focusing on European competition. Part of that may have been the distance of Liverpool's lead, but part of it is surely also down to injuries and the ability of manager Mikel Arteta (a former Paris Saint-Germain player) to balance multiple competitions with such a limited squad.
Former LOSC Lille defender Gabriel is the most notable loss -- he and another former Ligue 1 star, William Saliba, had formed an impressive duo in defence, but he is set to miss the rest of the season through injury. In attack, the hosts are similarly light, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus both missing, while Jorginho and Thomas Partey, both options in midfield, are also absent.
Despite this raft of absences, Arteta is quietly confident, especially as his side had inflicted a 2-0 defeat on PSG in the league phase. Speaking pre-match, he said, "This is a moment to say this is who we are as a team, to play with that mindset. Now is about where are the limits, and how far we want to go." With his side not having played since Wednesday, despite a limited set of options, Arsenal will be fresh for this encounter, and ready to give PSG all they can handle.
Predicted lineups:
Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Rice, Merino; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli
Paris Saint-Germain (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia (or Barcola)
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