Paris Saint-Germain took a decisive step toward the Champions League final with a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in their semi-final first leg at the Emirates Stadium. Ousmane Dembélé’s early strike proved the difference, leaving Mikel Arteta’s side with a mountain to climb in this week’s return fixture in Paris.
The match began in dramatic fashion as Dembélé capitalized on hesitant Arsenal defending to fire PSG ahead after just four minutes. The French winger latched onto a loose ball in the box following a defensive mix-up between William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães, slotting past David Raya to send the traveling PSG supporters into raptures.
Arsenal struggled to recover from the early setback, with their usually fluid attacking play stifled by PSG’s disciplined defensive shape. The Gunners’ best chance came in the 34th minute when Bukayo Saka’s curling effort forced a spectacular save from Gianluigi Donnarumma, tipping the ball onto the crossbar.
PSG thought they had doubled their lead in the 67th minute when Mikel Merino headed home from a corner, but the goal was controversially disallowed after a VAR review for an apparent foul in the buildup. The decision left manager Luis Enrique fuming on the touchline, though his side maintained their slender advantage.
The result extends Arsenal’s miserable record in Champions League semi-finals, having now failed to win any of their last five first-leg ties at this stage of the competition. History now weighs heavily against the Premier League side – only two teams in Champions League history have overturned a first-leg home defeat in the semi-finals.
Speaking after the match, Arteta remained defiant: “We’re still in this tie. One goal changes everything, and we’ve shown we can win in tough environments this season.” His counterpart Enrique was more cautious: “The job is only half done. Arsenal are dangerous opponents who won at the Bernabéu – we must be ready.”
The second leg at Parc des Princes on May 7 promises to be a thrilling encounter, with PSG aiming to reach their second Champions League final and Arsenal hoping to complete an unlikely comeback. The French champions will be without the suspended Achraf Hakimi, while Arsenal await fitness tests on Thomas Partey and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Prediction: PSG 2-1 Arsenal (3-1 on aggregate) however this is our own analysis and you should make an independent decision.
Arsenal’s fighting spirit could see them score, but PSG’s attacking quality should ultimately prove too much. Expect Mbappé to seal their place in the final.
