Two of Europe`s top football clubs are set to renew their rivalry as Arsenal hosts Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals. The highly anticipated clash takes place on Tuesday, April 29.
Arsenal previously defeated PSG 2-0 during the group stage last October and come into this fixture boasting an impressive 12-game unbeaten run across all competitions. Meanwhile, the Parisian side has already overcome Premier League opposition earlier in the tournament, having eliminated both Liverpool and Aston Villa on their route to the semifinals.
The match is scheduled to kick off from Emirates Stadium in London at 3 p.m. ET.
Ahead of the match, a proven soccer expert from SportsLine, Martin Green, has offered his insights and predictions for the Arsenal vs. PSG encounter in the Champions League:
Expert Predictions:
Both teams to score
Green suggests that both teams possess significant attacking capabilities but have shown vulnerabilities defensively. He noted that Arsenal have ample firepower to find the net against a PSG side that has managed only one clean sheet in their last eight outings. However, he also highlighted that Arsenal`s defense, particularly recent performances by William Saliba and Jakub Kiwior, might face challenges containing PSG`s potent attack, featuring players like Desiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Achraf Hakimi, and Nuno Mendes. This suggests a likelihood of both teams scoring.
Arsenal to win
Despite potential injury concerns for the Gunners, Green predicts a victory for Mikel Arteta`s side in this first leg. He pointed to Arsenal`s strong performance at home against Real Madrid earlier in the competition, where they secured a dominant 3-0 clean sheet win as part of a 5-1 aggregate series victory. Green anticipates that Arsenal will be highly motivated to secure a win in front of their home crowd before traveling to France for the return fixture next week.
