It`s Champions League semifinal week, bringing intense matchups as the journey to the final in Munich reaches its critical penultimate stage. The action kicks off on Tuesday with Arsenal facing Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal`s Long-Awaited Semifinal Return
A set of highly competitive semifinal ties starts at the Emirates Stadium, where Arsenal hosts Paris Saint-Germain in a fascinating first leg. This marks Arsenal`s first appearance in the Champions League semifinals in 16 years.
The Gunners secured their spot by decisively overcoming the reigning champions, Real Madrid, with a dominant 5-1 aggregate scoreline in the quarterfinals. Their performance over the two legs underscored the progress made under manager Mikel Arteta and highlighted their strong defense as a key asset on the path to Munich. As noted by James Benge:
- “While Inter might have conceded fewer goals among the remaining teams, no other side limits opposition threats in front of goal as effectively as Arsenal. Across 12 matches, they`ve allowed opponents shots worth an average of just 0.69 non-penalty expected goals (npxG) per game. By virtually all metrics, Arsenal`s defense is elite. They permit only 16.4 touches per game in their penalty box, nearly five fewer than any other team remaining, and concede only 10.3 shots per game. This is after facing Real Madrid`s potent attack.”
Arteta correctly described the quarterfinal matches against Real Madrid as perhaps the most significant of his managerial career. However, the path to the final remains challenging. Paris Saint-Germain presents a formidable test, arguably tougher than a Real Madrid side that had shown vulnerabilities this season. The convincing win over Los Blancos has understandably reassured fans, especially after the team missed out on domestic titles. The crucial question now is how well Arsenal`s approach will fare against PSG.
For Arsenal supporters, reaching the final in Munich is the ultimate goal. However, the team could potentially not advance yet still maintain their status as one of Europe`s top clubs. For a team with high ambitions, there`s a delicate balance: is delivering peak performance sufficient, even if it doesn`t result in lifting the trophy?
Paris Saint-Germain Aims to Live Up to the Hype
The last time Paris Saint-Germain visited the Emirates Stadium, they left with a 2-0 loss in October. At that point, the French champions seemed to be in a period of transition. This was somewhat expected, as manager Luis Enrique had suggested the initial months post-Kylian Mbappe would focus on developing younger players for the future. What a transformation six months can bring.
Following significant activity in the winter transfer window and adopting Enrique`s distinctive pressing style, PSG has emerged as one of Europe`s most exciting teams and a surprise contender for the Champions League title. Thierry Henry believes they pose a tougher challenge for Arsenal than Real Madrid did. Enrique`s tactical setup has been crucial to their unexpectedly strong run, making them particularly difficult to overcome, as highlighted by James Benge:
- “Luis Enrique`s PSG has truly become a cohesive unit in a way not seen since the Qatari takeover. This is reflected in a playing style dictated by the midfield rather than just the star forwards, with new attackers interchanging seamlessly. Most significantly, this new PSG excels when they don`t have possession. Their 9.2 passes allowed per defensive action is the second fewest in the competition behind Bayern Munich (down from 13.5 two years ago). No team averages more ball recoveries in the attacking two-thirds of the pitch, winning the ball back 31.1 times per game. According to Wyscout, they win more defensive duels than any other team.”
While facing PSG might be Arsenal`s biggest test in the Champions League so far, the argument can also be made in reverse. Arsenal`s statement win came against Real Madrid, whereas PSG`s key performance was arguably against Liverpool in the round of 16, another talented but imperfect side. Their quarterfinal tie against Aston Villa raised some questions about their ultimate potential. The semifinal clash with Arsenal will truly test the capabilities of this revitalized PSG squad and could set the benchmark for what to expect from this young team in the future.
