Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique cautioned his team not to let their guard down “for a second” during their Champions League semifinal second leg against Arsenal at the Parc des Princes. He warned that relaxing could quickly see them return “back to square one” in the tie.
Ousmane Dembele`s goal in the fourth minute provided PSG with an early advantage at the Emirates Stadium. However, late missed opportunities by Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos meant the French side couldn`t extend their lead further. PSG had started strongly, dominating the initial 20 minutes, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia posing a threat on the left and Vitinha controlling the midfield.
Arsenal, nonetheless, managed to recover and created several chances to equalize. Notable moments included Mikel Merino`s header ruled out for offside, Gabriel Martinelli`s two close calls in the first half, and Gianluigi Donnarumma making a crucial save from Leandro Trossard. Despite the first-leg deficit, Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta remained confident in his side`s ability to reach the final in Paris, a belief that appeared to be shared by his counterpart, Luis Enrique.
“Mission accomplished this evening,” said Luis Enrique regarding the first leg. “Our sole objective is to win the second leg at home as well. With Arsenal, we cannot let our guard down and be complacent. This is a team who can completely rewrite history in one second, and we`ll be back to square one. Nothing is in the bag yet, as they`ll have nothing to lose.”
Advancing to the final in Munich would undoubtedly be easier for PSG if Ousmane Dembele is fit to play. The French international has been in devastating form in 2025 and continued to challenge the Arsenal defense after scoring his excellent opening goal, a low drive that deflected in off David Raya`s left post.
However, Dembele was forced off the pitch with approximately 20 minutes remaining at the Emirates Stadium, appearing to hold his hamstring.
Luis Enrique confirmed that Dembele would undergo tests, describing the injury as “something very minor,” but conceded that he is likely a doubt for the return leg.
“We`re going to try to get Dembele back on the pitch,” said the Spaniard. “But we`re a real team. If Ousmane can play, that`s better. But if he doesn`t, we`ll still be a real team. We`ve been saying that since the start of the season.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal will head to the Parc des Princes knowing the first leg could have been worse, but also acknowledging they created opportunities that could have swung the tie in their favour. After a nervous beginning, the Gunners largely matched PSG for the remaining hour of the match. Their strategy involving long balls posed a significant challenge for PSG`s central defenders, including Marquinhos. With Thomas Partey potentially returning, hope remains for an Arsenal side that has historically struggled to advance in the Champions League after losing the home first leg.
Asked if his side needed a significantly better performance in the second leg, Arteta replied:
“I think the margins were so small, I don`t think so. But if it`s significantly better, hopefully the result will be significantly different as well.”
Having previously delivered strong performances away from home on big European nights, such as against Real Madrid in the quarterfinals (though the first-leg situation was more favourable then), Arsenal has shown they possess the capability. This is precisely what they will need to replicate in Paris next week.
“If you want to win the Champions League final, you have to do something special and we`re going to have to do something special in Paris,” stated Arteta. He added that he believes they have “a lot of chances to be in that final.”
