Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta remains optimistic about his team’s chances of reaching the Champions League final despite suffering a 1-0 home defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in their semi-final first leg.
The Gunners were stunned by an early Ousmane Dembélé goal inside four minutes at the Emirates Stadium, leaving them with a deficit to overcome in next week’s return fixture in Paris. Despite the setback, Arteta maintained his belief in his squad’s ability to produce a comeback.
“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,” Arteta stated. “We have to go to Paris and win the game, and we are more than capable of doing it.”
Arsenal did create opportunities to level the match, with Gabriel Martinelli forcing a save from Gianluigi Donnarumma and Mikel Merino having a goal disallowed for offside early in the second half. Leandro Trossard also tested the PSG goalkeeper as the Gunners pushed for an equalizer.
The French champions, who have already eliminated Manchester City, Liverpool, and Aston Villa in their European campaign, nearly extended their advantage when substitute Goncalo Ramos struck the crossbar late in the match.
PSG manager Luis Enrique, while pleased with the result, cautioned against complacency: “Nothing is in the bag. We need to win when we are at home because Arsenal now have nothing to lose.”
The contrast with Arsenal’s comfortable 2-0 victory over PSG in the group stage in October highlights the French side’s improvement under Enrique’s guidance. Their tactical approach and early goal disrupted Arsenal’s rhythm, forcing Arteta into an undisclosed tactical adjustment midway through the first half.
Arsenal now face a significant challenge at the Parc des Princes, where they must score at least once to have any chance of reaching their first Champions League final. The winner will face either Barcelona or Inter Milan in next month’s showpiece event.
