Old foes collide with fresh stakes when Arsenal welcome Paris Saint-Germain to the Emirates on Tuesday, kicking off a blockbuster Champions League semifinal that pits two clubs desperate to end their agonizing wait for continental glory.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal arrive brimming with belief, having dismantled Real Madrid – the gold standard of European football – with ruthless efficiency.
After a 3-0 first-leg demolition in London, the Gunners marched into the Bernabeu and silenced the Spanish giants with a 2-1 victory, completing a jaw-dropping 5-1 aggregate triumph few saw coming.
Missing a traditional striker and set-piece specialist, Gabriel Magalhaes, Arsenal wore the underdog tag proudly – and tore it off spectacularly.
Now in the semifinals for just the third time in their history, and the first since 2009, the North Londoners are daring to dream again.
Arteta’s side carries momentum in waves: unbeaten in eight straight Champions League matches – their longest streak since 2005-06 – and 12 across all competitions.
But frailties remain. A familiar inability to close out games resurfaced in a costly 2-2 Premier League draw with Crystal Palace last Wednesday, allowing Liverpool to edge closer to domestic glory.
Arsenal have now surrendered leads in nine top-flight draws this season – more than any other club.
Those cracks offer hope to PSG, who arrive hardened by recent Premier League scalps. Luis Enrique’s youthful, vibrant squad swept aside Liverpool and Aston Villa en route to the last four, though a 3-2 second-leg stumble against Villa served as a reminder of their mortal side.
Domestically, PSG’s aura has flickered. Despite clinching Ligue 1 early, Les Parisiens stumbled to a 2-1 scrape over Le Havre, a 1-1 draw with Nantes, and a stunning 3-1 home defeat to Nice that ended their invincible run.
Yet Enrique can afford to shift full focus to Europe, and his men have a powerful record to lean on – scoring in 18 consecutive away matches across all competitions.
Still, PSG’s last trip to the Emirates ended in frustration. Arsenal’s 2-0 win back in October extended their unbeaten run against the French champions to five matches – their longest such streak against any European opponent. In fact, no other club has faced PSG more often without tasting defeat.
For Arsenal, the path to Wembley – and potentially a date with Barcelona or Inter Milan – demands another perfect night at home.
Concerns
Arsenal’s midfield puzzle is Arteta’s biggest headache. Thomas Partey, suspended after a rash booking at the Bernabeu, joins a crowded injury list that includes Gabriel (hamstring), Kai Havertz (hamstring), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), Gabriel Jesus (ACL) and Jorginho (chest), who may miss the remainder of the season.
Declan Rice will likely drop into the deeper holding role, while Mikel Merino, nursing a minor issue, is expected to fill the left-eight position if passed fit.
Ben White (knee) should also be available, but Riccardo Calafiori (knee) remains doubtful.
In stark contrast, PSG boast a clean bill of health. Enrique is expected to field a near-identical lineup to the one that faced Nice, with Bradley Barcola pushing for a starting nod over Desire Doue.
Ousmane Dembele, who has racked up an electric 44 goal contributions this season (32 goals, 12 assists), remains pivotal – though the Frenchman has hit a cold streak, failing to score in his last six games across Ligue 1 and Europe.