Following their narrow 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals held last week in London, Luis Enrique`s Paris Saint-Germain side will aim to secure a decisive win against Mikel Arteta`s Arsenal at home in Paris on Wednesday.
Regarding team news, PSG receives a significant boost with the return of Ousmane Dembele, who has recovered from the hamstring injury he sustained shortly after scoring the vital winning goal against Arsenal in the first leg. Midfielders Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, and Joao Neves are anticipated to start, potentially alongside key attacking talents like Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. PSG coach Luis Enrique addressed the media before the crucial return fixture, acknowledging its potential significance as one of the club`s most important matches ever, with the chance to reach only their second Champions League final, having lost the 2020 final to Bayern Munich.
Luis Enrique stated: “It has been one of my goals since I joined the club: to offer our fans an attractive playing philosophy. Our way of playing must make the fans proud, with special values. Ousmane Dembele will be available for the game. He trained with us two days in a row.”
Match Details
- Date: Wednesday, May 7
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Parc des Princes — Paris, France
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: PSG +109; Draw +263; Arsenal +234
Mikel Arteta`s Arsenal squad faces more significant injury concerns than their Parisian counterparts. Key players like Jorginho, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all sidelined for the second leg, as is Riccardo Calafiori, who continues to recover from a knee injury. Crucially for the Gunners, Thomas Partey returns to the squad after serving a one-match suspension in the first leg. He is expected to feature in midfield alongside Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice, supporting a likely attacking trio of Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Martinelli. Below are the projected starting lineups:
Predicted Lineups
Predicted PSG Starting XI:
- Gianluigi Donnarumma
- Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes
- Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Joao Neves
- Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Predicted Arsenal Starting XI:
- David Raya
- Ben White, William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Myles Lewis-Skelly
- Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Declan Rice
- Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli
