Arsenal host Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium / IMAGO | Depositphotos / Visionhaus / Getty Image

Arsenal welcome Paris Saint-Germain to the Emirates Stadium for the first leg of their Champions League semifinal on Tuesday night.

The Gunners reached this stage of the competition for the first time since 2009, when they were beaten by Manchester United, after impressively knocking out holders and 15-time winners Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

PSG, meanwhile, have toppled two Premier League opponents to secure their fourth semifinal berth since 2019/20. Only once have they gone on to play in the showpiece event and, like Arsenal, the French behemoths have never been crowned European champions.

While Mikel Arteta’s side watched Liverpool claim domestic glory on Sunday, PSG were crowned Ligue 1 champions at the start of April. However, their unbeaten record was snapped by Nice on Friday night.

These two teams have already faced off this season, although Luis Enrique’s men are vastly improved since they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at the Emirates back in October.

Here’s Sports Illustated’s guide to a crunch clash in north London.

Arsenal

PSG

Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace – 23/04/25

PSG 1-3 Nice – 25/04/25

Ipswich 0-4 Arsenal – 20/04/25

Nantes 1-1 PSG – 22/04/25

Real Madrid 1-2 Arsenal – 16/04/25

PSG 2-1 Le Havre – 19/04/25

Arsenal 1-1 Brentford – 12/04/25

Aston Villa 3-2 PSG – 15/04/25

Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid – 08/04/25

PSG 3-1 Aston Villa – 09/04/25

Country

TV channel/live stream

United States

Paramount+, TUDN.com, Univision NOW, TUDN App, TUDN USA, Univision

United Kingdom

Sky Go UK, NOW, SKY GO Extra, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Ultra HD

Canada

DAZN Canada

Mexico

TNT Sports, MAX

Thomas Partey is suspended for the first leg / IMAGO / NurPhoto

The unnecessary booking Thomas Partey picked up late on at the Bernabeu means he’s suspended for the first leg on Tuesday, and Arteta seemingly trialled his potential front six for this fixture during the 4-0 win at Ipswich.

If Mikel Merino is passed fit, he’ll start in midfield ahead of stabiliser Declan Rice. Leandro Trossard is in good form and has impressed from a centre-forward role, while Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli will start down the flanks.

Riccardo Calafiori may be fit to feature off the bench after a month out, but the Gunners are certainly without Kai Havertz, Gabriel, Jorginho, Gabriel Jesus, and Takehiro Tomiyasu. Ben White missed last week’s draw at Crystal Palace and is a doubt.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs PSG (4-3-3): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Merino, Odegaard; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli.

Ousmane Dembele didn’t play against Arsenal in the league phase / IMAGO / Pro Sports Images

Unlike Arsenal, PSG have a clean bill of health heading into the first leg.

Enrique opted for a strong starting XI on Friday night against Nice, and although his team were beaten 3-1, we could see the same team start at the Emirates.

Ousmane Dembele was left at home when PSG visited Arsenal during the league phase, but he’s a shoo-in to start in a false nine role for the visitors. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has shone since joining the club in January, with the Georgian teaming up with Dembele and the burgeoning sensation Desire Doue in attack.

Bradley Barcola will be an option off the bench.

PSG predicted lineup vs Arsenal (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Vitinha, Fabian, Neves; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia.

Neither of these teams have set the world alight as of late, but we shouldn’t read into any recent domestic slip-ups. Their respective focuses have been on this fixture after their spots in the Champions League semifinals were confirmed.

Tuesday’s first leg has the makings of a chess match between two excellent managers. Both are control obsessives, with the two teams excellent at suffocating opponents without the ball.

Arsenal had the physical edge in the first meeting back in October and barely had to get out of second gear to win. However, this tie will be very different. Dembele and ‘Kvaradona’ will be in the starting XI on this occasion, and Enrique’s side have shown in several tough environments that they’re capable of playing out of pressure and accessing their superstars in attack.

PSG will be thrilled to escape north London with the tie even.

Published 20 Hours Ago|Modified Apr 28, 2025