Arsenal with mountain to climb after 1-0 home defeat to PSG in Champions League semi-final clash
30 April 2025, 06:58 | Updated: 30 April 2025, 07:01
Arsenal have a huge task ahead in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final clash against PSG after losing the first leg 1-0 at home.
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Manager Mikel Arteta has insisted Arsenal are "capable" of producing a special moment to overturn their loss and reach the final against the odds.
His side 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.
It was a difficult start for Arsenal, who then spent the following 20 minutes chasing PSG shadows.
Arsenal were in need of a strong start to the second half, and they thought they were back on level terms just 90 seconds in when Merino headed home Declan Rice’s free-kick.
But VAR intervened with Merino half a body’s width offside.
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Later, PSG substitute Goncalo Ramos struck David Raya’s crossbar in the dramatic closing minutes.
Despite, losing 1-0, things could be worse and Arteta’s men might consider themselves fortunate to still be in the tie.
Arteta told reporters: “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.”
Wayne Rooney was disappointed with Arsenal’s performance and the atmosphere inside the Emirates Stadium.
On Amazon Prime Sport, Rooney said: “They (PSG) were by far the better team tactically. They were excellent. They could have won the game by two or three so they got it spot on.“I was disappointed with the way they (Arsenal) played and the fans as well.
“I think the fans against Real Madrid were excellent and pushed the team, tonight they were subdued, almost an anti-climax that Arsenal have beat Real Madrid that they are going to walk into the final of the competition.
“The fans have to be there, the players have to show up of course. It wasn’t good enough on both sides for Arsenal.”
