Seven months have passed since Arsenal last hosted Paris Saint-Germain at the Emirates Stadium, and both clubs openly admit that significant changes have occurred. As PSG coach Luis Enrique emphasized, seven months is a considerable time, and since their demanding group stage campaign, the French champions have had to `pull their socks up.` For player Vitinha, the difference is `obvious.`
And indeed, they are right. The PSG team that arrived at the Emirates on October 1st displayed elegance with the ball but seemed utterly unable to threaten Arsenal`s defence led by William Saliba. Their front three combined for just one shot, with their best opportunity arriving right before the final whistle. With Ousmane Dembele sidelined and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia not yet part of the squad, there were few hints that Luis Enrique was building one of Europe`s most formidable attacks.
Arsenal also looked different then. The defensive strength provided by Gabriel (now sidelined until next season with injury) alongside Saliba made it easier for them to play without possession, especially with Thomas Partey and Declan Rice shielding the defence. That particular game was one where the 4-4-2 setup, without Martin Odegaard, appeared highly effective. While Leandro Trossard might feature again, Odegaard has since returned to the side, and Kai Havertz has departed.
The personnel have evolved. PSG`s potential ceiling has risen, while Arsenal`s current performance level remains a subject of discussion. What is highly unlikely to change, however, is how the hosts will approach the game from the very beginning.
When asked about lessons learned from the previous win to apply to the upcoming match, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta stated, “I loved the presence, straight away how we went out there. Our body language, the intensity, how aggressive we were. We played with real belief and determination and when you`re facing big opponents immediately you need to put the game in that context.”
Arteta was correct; Arsenal were exceptionally assertive on that occasion. From the start, players like Rice, Saliba, and Jurrien Timber imposed themselves on their opponents, winning early duels forcefully. Timber notably shut down Bradley Barcola almost entirely. From front to back, Arteta`s side attacked and defended as a cohesive unit. Bukayo Saka won more tackles than anyone else, and Timber and Riccardo Calafiori were effective in disrupting play in PSG`s half just as much as their own.
This cohesive, relentlessly drilled approach has been a defining characteristic of Arsenal`s Champions League campaign. Compared to teams that sometimes look like collections of individuals, Arsenal functions as a single unit. While PSG is no longer the team prone to relying solely on individual brilliance as in past years, a side that has come together over mere months will likely struggle to match the synchronicity Arsenal has developed over years.
Arteta added, “I take a lot of things from the game that we played here. We understand how strong they are as a team, the individuals that they have. But we have the same. When you get to this stage, I think the margins and the difference between the two teams are not big. It`s really the mindset, it`s the attitude and how we`re going to play the game tomorrow.”
This sentiment contrasts sharply with the mood within the PSG camp, even if they are somewhat defensive when Arsenal`s midfield strength is mentioned.
It`s understandable, given their inability to truly challenge Arsenal in their last encounter. That defeat in London contributed to a worrying early trajectory for the French champions in the competition, followed by losses. For a period, it seemed they might not even qualify for the league phase`s top 24. Then came the addition of Kvaratskhelia and the emergence of Dembele as a genuine contender. It`s difficult to imagine this current PSG team being limited to just 0.4 expected goals again.
“There are huge differences,” said Luis Enrique. “I have reviewed the game from the beginning of October. We`re better now than we showed. In the league we had the most intense group phase… We had to pull our socks up. Now we are a team that is very complete.”
While PSG`s quality has undoubtedly improved, they will still find themselves outnumbered on Tuesday. At least, they will if Arteta`s plea to the Emirates crowd is answered. “Bring your boots, bring your shorts, bring your T-shirts, and let`s play every ball together,” he urged Arsenal supporters.
The previous meeting felt curiously subdued for a significant league phase game. With many fixtures remaining in the new format, the immediate value of three points wasn`t always keenly felt in the first year of the Swiss system. The Emirates Stadium had waited years for major European nights, but that one didn`t quite feel like a classic.
What *did* feel monumental was the stunning victory over Real Madrid, arguably the most jubilant night in the stadium`s nearly 20-year history – or at least, the most jubilant so far. Arteta wants more. “We want to do something special,” he stated. “That place has to be something special, something that we haven`t seen. And I really hope that everybody that comes tomorrow to the Emirates and is watching and following us, brings that energy with them.”
“Tomorrow we have a massive opportunity as well, as a club, as supporters, to demonstrate who we are and how far we still want to get together.”
In the seven months since their last encounter, the balance seems to have shifted somewhat towards PSG. They arrive with an improved starting eleven and potentially fewer injury concerns. They have transformed aspects of their identity, but they cannot change Arsenal`s fundamental approach. That remains a team defined by “the presence, aggression and intensity” capable of unsettling any opponent. With 57,000 passionate supporters adding their energy, perhaps the result will be another factor that remains unchanged.
