As Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain face off at the Parc des Princes for the second leg of their Champions League semifinal, they now know the winner will advance to face Inter in the UCL final on May 31st in Munich.
PSG holds a narrow 1-0 lead after the first leg, meaning there is plenty of work ahead for both sides, with immense pressure on this decisive second leg. In the first leg, PSG narrowly avoided conceding when VAR disallowed Mikel Merino`s goal, highlighting Arsenal`s threat, particularly from set pieces.
Playing at home, PSG will benefit from strong fan support. However, given that neither club has previously won the Champions League, the psychological aspect of the match could be the most challenging.
Here`s a look at the key storylines, how to watch the match, and more:
How to watch PSG vs. Arsenal, odds
- Date: Wednesday, May 7 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Parc des Princes — Paris, France
- TV: CBS | Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: PSG +109; Draw +263; Arsenal +234
First leg recap
The first leg was quite a tactical battle between these two teams. PSG started brightly with Ousmane Dembele scoring just four minutes into the game. Following that, the Parisians dominated for about 20 minutes before Arsenal`s defense found its footing. While the Gunners subsequently created better chances than their opponents, Dembele`s early goal proved decisive, preventing them from taking a level scoreline into the Paris return leg.
What the coaches are saying
The stage is set for a massive moment for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, with incredibly high stakes. Arsenal has won the FA Cup under Arteta, but having fallen short in the Premier League title race multiple times, this opportunity to reach the Champions League final could be his crowning achievement as manager of the Gunners.
“Yeah, one of the most beautiful, for sure. I mean, again, one win away from being in the final. We cannot ask for anything else,” Arteta said about the occasion. “Let`s not do the talking [now], let`s do it tomorrow on that pitch at 9pm [CET] when the game starts. Show our best, best, best, best version and win the game.”
To succeed, he`ll need a stronger performance from key players like Martin Odegaard, but Arteta will have done his utmost to prepare his squad for the challenge ahead.
On the PSG side, following Kylian Mbappe`s departure, the team has successfully reinvented itself. Under Luis Enrique, everyone understands their roles. With Enrique`s birthday the day after the match, the team has an extra motivation. As a manager with ample experience in high-stakes matches, Enrique is unlikely to let the occasion overwhelm his team.
“We`re here because we deserve to be, we won the first game and tomorrow`s objective is to win the second. There are a lot of potential keys, but I think we have to show the confidence that our supporters have shown us, in terms of effort and emotional intelligence,” Enrique stated. “There will be details we can control. We`re going to have to stay true to the ideas we`ve had so far. We`re going to go into this match and build on our strengths. If things don`t go our way, we`ll be competitive enough to turn things around.”
Predicted lineups
PSG: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Joao Neves, Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Arsenal: David Raya, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Jakub Kiwior, William Saliba, Ben White, Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka
Player to watch
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, PSG: A crucial factor in making this PSG team perform has been the arrival of Kvaratskhelia. The Georgian forward seems perfectly suited for this PSG system. While he might only have four goals and five assists in 22 appearances across all competitions for the club, four of those goal contributions have come in Champions League play.
When PSG needs him most, Kvaratskhelia has shown the ability to step up and make things happen, which will be vital playing at home in this second leg. Facing Arsenal`s defense, which focuses on winning individual duels, Kvaratskhelia`s brilliance on the dribble could potentially break the game open if he can win his matchups.
Storyline to watch
Will the pressure of the treble affect PSG? With Barcelona`s elimination, PSG is now the only team remaining with a chance to win a treble. Having already secured the Ligue 1 title and reaching the Coupe De France final on May 24th, PSG is potentially just three wins away from this remarkable feat. However, achieving it will be far from easy. Every team that reached this stage experienced setbacks at some point in their journey, but Enrique will be determined to avoid Barcelona`s fate of suffering their biggest disappointment in the Champions League.
While other pressures exist, winning the Champions League title, which has eluded the club historically, arguably means more to PSG than any other trophy they could lift this season. This only intensifies the pressure on the team, but as is often said, pressure can also create diamonds when applied correctly.
Prediction
PSG will likely need to wait a little longer than four minutes to score the opening goal this time around, but when Dembele finds the back of the net again in the first half, a wave of relief will sweep over the home fans in the stadium. Arsenal will add some tension by scoring themselves, but it won`t be enough as PSG nets an insurance goal to seal the victory in regulation.
Pick: PSG 2, Arsenal 1
