Arsenal v PSG LIVE: Dembele goal leaves Gunners frustrated and requiring Champions League comeback
Arsenal 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain: The Gunners will require a comeback after a frustrating night at the Emirates
Ousmane Dembele’s early goal leaves Arsenal requiring a second-leg comeback if they are to keep their Champions League dream alive as Paris Saint-Germain earned a 1-0 win to take back to the French capital.
Arsenal were unable to find the equaliser despite long spells of pressure at the Emirates, with PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma making two excellent saves to deny low shots from Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard and Mikel Merino seeing his header from Declan Rice’s free-kick ruled out for offside.
Merino’s disallowed goal, which came after a three-minute VAR review, punctured some of Arsenal’s belief after they survived a blistering start from PSG, who struck inside four minutes when Dembele finished off a wonderful move with a low shot that snuck inside the post.
David Raya also made a strong save in the first half to deny Desire Doue’s low effort, and it could have been worse for Arsenal with Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos wasting chances on the break late on. Follow all the reaction from Arsenal v PSG below.
Champions League legend claims Arsenal had ‘fear to win’ against PSG
Arsenal had a “fear to win” against Paris Saint-Germain and must have a “shift in mentality” to reach the final, according to four-time Champions League winner Clarence Seedorf.
The Gunners knocked out Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, winning at the Bernabeu, and they will have to come from behind against PSG to advance to the Munich final.
But Seedorf, who won the Champions League with Ajax, Real Madrid and Milan, believes Arsenal have to take another step if they are to progress.
Champions League legend claims Arsenal had ‘fear to win’ against PSG
Arsenal can still mount PSG comeback and the route is obvious
Mikel Arteta might have set the tone after the first leg at Arsenal, as he called for “something special”, but it was maybe Luis Enrique who properly set up the second leg. Despite his Paris Saint-Germain team’s impressive win on Tuesday night, he said “it’s just got started”.
While these may be words that seem general enough in European knock-outs, they touch on a deeper truth at this stage. The second legs of such ties, and especially when they're the semi-finals and so close to the club game’s greatest stage, can turn into whirlwinds.
Arsenal can still mount PSG comeback and the route is obvious
When is the second leg?
Arsenal go away to Paris Saint-Germain next Wednesday, 7 May, with kick-off at 8pm UK time.
Tonight, Inter host Barcelona in the first leg of the other Champions League semi-final.
How Arsenal exposed a PSG weakness - while revealing one of their own
The demand from Mikel Arteta is now obvious, but the manner Arsenal get there is not. He said his team need “something special” after this 1-0 home defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. There was then the same caveat as after Real Madrid. “It’s only half-time.” Luis Enrique went further, insisting this tie “has only started”.
That should make it even less of a surprise that both managers described this as a game “of different phases”.
There are duly a few ways to look at it, beyond the fact PSG have yet another lead against an English side. The night could have been so much worse for Arsenal, as they had a few issues exposed. They similarly know they can be better. Arsenal showed there are weaknesses to be exploited in the French side, but also so many strengths to try and stop.
How Arsenal exposed a PSG weakness - while revealing one of their own
Why PSG’s electric trick caught Arsenal at the worst possible time
It is part of footballing orthodoxy. A tough away game demands a certain approach in the opening 20 minutes. Keep it tight. Keep everyone behind the ball. Keep it 0-0. Depress the home crowd with dullness and defensiveness. Don’t run forward. But Luis Enrique is not a subscriber to that school of thought.
Enrique sees the pragmatists and scorns them. He approaches football matches like a Formula One grand prix, as though whoever gets to the first bend in the lead wins, even if they need a pit stop and a couple of new tyres somewhere along the way. Paris Saint-Germain were the club who were known for the tragicomic end to their Champions League campaigns. In Enrique’s cultural revolution, they are notable for their scintillating starts.
Why PSG’s electric trick caught Arsenal at the worst possible time
PSG player ratings
Gianluigi Donnarumma, 8
The goalkeeper made a huge stop down low to his right to keep out Martinelli’s shot, just before half-time. But his save to deny Trossard after half-time was even better. He got down so quickly to turn it past the post.
Desire Doue, 8
What a talent. As well as an outrageous control from a diagonal switch and a handful of flicks and tricks, there’s plenty of substance in the winger’s game as well. Forced a brilliant stop from Raya.
Ousmane Dembele, 8
Struck a wonderful early opener that began with his drive from midfield. His positional sense to drop deep caused Arsenal all sorts of problems. The finish was wonderful.
Arsenal player ratings
Myles Lewis-Skelly, 8
Provided Arsenal with their first spark with his challenge on Hakimi and surge forward, then played a stunning through ball to set up a big chance for Martinelli. The youngest English player to start a Champions League semi-final, at 18 years and 215 days, and was excellent.
Martin Odegaard, 4
The captain was flapping his arms in frustration as PSG played through the Arsenal press in the opening exchanges, which summed up their difficult start in getting to grips with the opposition’s excellent midfield trio. Not his night and his usual quality was lacking from set-pieces, too.
Gabriel Martinelli, 5
A frustrating night. Had to take the excellent chance set up by Lewis-Skelly just before half-time, but he couldn’t set his finish beyond Donnarumma’s reach.
Arsenal vs PSG player ratings as Martin Odegaard struggles in key midfield battle
Arsenal will need to win at Paris Saint-Germain if they are to reach a first Champions League final since 2006 after Ousmane Dembele’s early goal handed the French side a 1-0 advantage to take to the Parc des Princes.
Dembele’s strike inside four minutes silenced a raucous Emirates Stadium and Arsenal were on the ropes for much of the first half, with David Raya saving well to keep out Desire Doue’s low shot.
But Mikel Arteta’s side gained a foothold in the semi-final first leg and PSG required goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to make two excellent saves either side of half time, denying Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.
Arsenal also had the ball in the net but Mikel Merino’s header from a Declan Rice free-kick was ruled out for offside, leaving the Gunners requiring a second-leg comeback if they are to reach the Munich final.
Here are how the players rated from the Emirates
Arsenal vs PSG player ratings as Martin Odegaard struggles in key midfield battle
Luis Enrique on second leg against Arsenal
Following their win against Arsenal - which puts them in pole position to face either Barcelona or Inter Milan in next month's showpiece - PSG boss Luis Enrique said: "There was an incredible atmosphere inside the stadium, it was deafening, but we got off to a wonderful start and the early goal gave us a boost of confidence.
"It is mission accomplished for this evening. But our objective is to win the second leg at home. With Arsenal we cannot let our guard down or be complacent because they can score quickly and we are back to square one. Nothing is in the bag. We need to win when we are at home because Arsenal now have nothing to lose."
Mikel Arteta calls on Arsenal to 'do something special' in return leg
Mikel Arteta insisted Arsenal are capable of producing a special moment to overturn their first-leg defeat against Paris St Germain and reach the Champions League final.
Arsenal will head to the French capital next week trailing by a single goal in the last-four fixture after Ousmane Dembele stunned the Emirates when he struck inside four minutes.
Although Mikel Merino had a second-half goal ruled out for offside, PSG substitute Goncalo Ramos struck David Raya's crossbar in the closing minutes and Arteta's men might count themselves fortunate to still be in the tie.
But Arteta said: "We are at half-time, and my message is exactly the same as it was after we beat Real Madrid 3-0 in the first leg of the quarter-final. We have to go to Paris and win the game, and we are more than capable of doing it.
"If you want to win the Champions League final, you have to do something special, and we are going to have to do something special in Paris to be there. We still have a lot of chances to be in that final."
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