Arsenal have 90 minutes to turn around their UEFA Champions League semifinal tie with PSG in Paris next week after the Gunners were beaten by the Ligue 1 champions at home, 1-0, in the first leg on Tuesday.
MORE — Champions League semifinal schedule | Past winners
The visitors went straight on the front foot and needed barely 180 seconds to open the scoring, and — wouldn’t you know it — it was Ousmane Dembele with his 24th club goal in 2025 (25 games). Khvicha Kvaratskhelia worked the ball down the left flank on a counter and eventually played it back to Dembele at the top of the box. Dembele didn’t bother to settle or control the ball, just put his left foot through it first-time. Even with a sea of bodies in his way, Dembele found the inside of the far post and the back of the net with pinpoint precision.
Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard had Arsenal’s two best scoring chances not long either side of halftime, but both were denied one-on-one by Gianluigi Donnarumma, who put in a man-of-the-match performance with five saves in total. Arsenal thought they had equalized just two minutes into the second half, but video review showed that Mikel Merino was well offside before heading a free kick home.
Whichever side advances from next Wednesday’s second leg will face the winner of Inter Milan vs Barcelona in the final at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on May 31. To do so, Arsenal will have to follow in the footsteps of north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
2 - Only two teams have reached the #UCL final after losing the first leg of their semi-final tie at home - Ajax in 1995-96 and Tottenham in 2018-19. Battle. #ARSPSG
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 29, 2025
Player ratings - Arsenal vs PSG
What’s next?
- Strasbourg vs PSG — Saturday, 11 am ET
- Arsenal vs Bournemouth — Saturday: 12:30 pm ET
- PSG vs Arsenal — Wednesday, May 7, 3 pm ET (second leg)
How to watch Arsenal vs PSG live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 3pm ET Tuesday (April 29)
Venue: Emirates Stadium — London
TV/Streaming: Paramount+
Arsenal vs PSG live updates - by Andy Edwards
Arsenal vs PSG final score: 0-1
Goalscorers: Ousmane Dembele (4')
SAVE! Donnarumma gets a fingertip to Trossard’s chance (56')
Arsenal cut right through the heart of PSG’s midfield and defense to spring Leandro Trossard in 1v1, and he did well to set up the shot, but Donnarumma made good use of every last bit of his 6-foot-5 frame to tip it around the post.
OFFSIDE! Arsenal’s equalizer wiped out by VAR (47')
The kings of set piece goals think they've levelled the game but VAR says no 😱 pic.twitter.com/E1pyHvkaxH
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 29, 2025
SAVE! Martinelli gets in behind but Donnarumma makes a massive stop (45')
Gabriel Martinelli has to score there — how many times have we said that? Myles Lewis-Skelly did brilliantly to pull PSG’s defense out of position and slip the ball to Martinelli for a 1v1 chance, but the save looked relatively easy for Donnarumma.
SAVE! Raya gets a strong hand to Doue’s low strike (31')
What a save from David Raya to deny Désiré Doué ❌ pic.twitter.com/sePh3ZiYFT
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 29, 2025
NO PENALTY! Timber hooks Kvaratskhelia but the referee says no foul (18')
Should this have been a penalty for a foul on Khvicha Kvaratskhelia? 👀 pic.twitter.com/0GgwdQ9aVY
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 29, 2025
GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 PSG: Dembele hammers a beauty through a sea of bodies (4')
OUSMANE DEMBÉLÉ STUNS THE EMIRATES AFTER JUST 3 MINUTES AND 16 SECONDS 💥😤 pic.twitter.com/jLQXQmMk8B
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 29, 2025
Objectively speaking, an early PSG goal is the best thing for this tie, from an entertainment perspective. Now, Arsenal have to take risks and be adventurous in possession. Do they have enough to keep pace in a track meet?
Arsenal starting lineup
Raya - Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly - Merino, Rice, Odegaard - Saka, Martinelli, Trossard
PSG starting lineup
Donnarumma - Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes - Vitinha, Neves, Ruiz - Doue, Kvaratskhelia, Dembele
Mikel Arteta’s side will be the slight favorites to advance to the final but this really feels like a flip of the coin tie. Arsenal’s key absentees at center back and up top have limited them, but the Gunners were so impressive against Real Madrid in the quarterfinals and having Bukayo Saka back fit and firing on all cylinders has come at the perfect time. This Arsenal side look balances and are ready to seize the moment.
But so are PSG, as Luis Enrique’s side have knocked out Liverpool and Aston Villa in the last 16 and quarterfinals respectively and the French champions head to London with plenty of confidence. They did lose against Nice at the weekend with a full-strength side as their hopes of going the entire Ligue 1 season unbeaten were ended. But this young, free-flowing, high-intensity PSG side Enrique has created is a joy to watch. They play with no fear and that means this is going to be one heck of a semifinal tie over the two legs.
Arsenal team news, focus
The Gunners are struggling with injuries again with Riccardo Calafiori a doubt for this but Ben White and Mikel Merino were both in training ahead of this game. The potential absence of Merino would have the biggest impact as the Spaniard has been really impactful whether playing in midfield or playing out of position as an emergency central striker. With Partey out suspended, Merino will start in midfield if he’s fit and Leandro Trossard will likely take up that false nine role. Jakub Kiwior continues to impress at center back with Gabriel out injured for the rest of the season and this is a huge game for Myles Lewis-Skelly at left back against PSG’s flying wingers.
OUT: Thomas Partey (suspension), Jorginho (chest), Gabriel Magalhaes (hamstring - MORE), Kai Havertz (hamstring - MORE), Gabriel Jesus (torn ACL - out for season), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Riccardo Calafiori (knee), Ben White (knee), Mikel Merino (other)
PSG team news, focus
Paris Saint-Germain have no injuries or suspension issues, with Luis Enrique having a fully-fit squad to choose from. His biggest decision is who will start on the left wing with Doue and Barcola both battling to get the nod. It’s not a bad problem for Enrique to have as both of the young forwards have been electric for most of the season. The midfield trio of Vitinha, Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz are key to everything PSG do and the experience of Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos and Ousmane Dembele gives them lovely balance.
Arsenal vs PSG prediction
This feels like it will be end-to-end and both teams are so similar in the way they play. It’s going to be intriguing and intense and it feels like Arsenal will just take a slender lead with Saka, Odegaard and Rice rising to the occasion. Arsenal 2-1 PSG.
