Arsenal’s long-awaited return to the Champions League semi-finals got off to the worst possible start as Paris St Germain snatched a cagey 1-0 victory at the Emirates, leaving Mikel Arteta’s men with a daunting task in the French capital.
In a game billed as a momentous night for the Gunners, the home crowd was silenced within four minutes. Ousmane Dembélé, left out of PSG’s defeat in north London earlier in the campaign, was reintroduced and wasted no time in proving a point. A slick move starting from midfield saw the Frenchman play a one-two with the lively Khvicha Kvaratskhelia before lashing a low shot off the post and into the net, giving David Raya no chance and PSG the perfect start.
Arsenal, who had marched past Real Madrid in the quarter-finals with poise and power, looked rattled. PSG dominated the early exchanges, exploiting space in midfield where the absence of the suspended Thomas Partey was sorely felt. Kvaratskhelia, tormenting down the flank, demanded a penalty and had another effort blocked after a quick turn of pace exposed Arsenal’s back line.
While the visitors remained composed and compact, the Gunners struggled to stitch together meaningful attacks. Frustration grew visibly on the touchline, with Arteta urging urgency from a side that had looked so composed in the previous round.
Moments of promise came late in the first half. Gabriel Martinelli raced through on goal but saw his low strike expertly parried by Gianluigi Donnarumma. VAR might have intervened for offside, but the Italian keeper ensured there was no debate. Then Joao Neves snuffed out Mikel Merino’s promising chance in the box just before the break.
Arsenal returned with renewed intent after the interval and thought they had struck back almost immediately. Merino met Declan Rice’s inviting delivery to head home, only for VAR to chalk it off for offside — a matter of inches but a major moment in the tie.
Despite a brief spell of dominance, Arsenal rarely looked like finding a leveller. Rice tried to spark something from deeper positions, threading a pass through to Leandro Trossard, whose powerful effort was again matched by Donnarumma at full stretch.
As the clock ticked down, the hosts lacked invention and energy in the final third. PSG, content to sit deep and protect their slender lead, offered the greater threat on the counter. Substitute Bradley Barcola flashed a shot wide, and Gonçalo Ramos rattled the crossbar late on, nearly making it two.
The night ended with Arsenal pressing, hopeful for a breakthrough that never materialised. A semi-final return leg in Paris awaits, with the Gunners needing a statement performance to overturn the deficit and reach a final for the first time since 2006.
The stage is set — but now Arsenal must rise to it.
