By Matt Smith
Within the first leg, PSG secured an essential victory by a single objective, with Ousmane Dembélé placing after just some minutes. Luis Enrique’s facet held on to take the benefit heading into the second leg on their very own turf.
Workforce information
Arsenal obtained a serious enhance this week with each Martin Ødegaard and Jurrien Timber concerned in coaching forward of the second leg. Timber missed the Gunners’ recreation towards Bournemouth on the weekend, whereas Ødegaard suffered a knock towards the Cherries.
Dembélé was compelled off towards Arsenal within the first leg, however the French ahead did return to coaching earlier this week. With the Ligue 1 title already wrapped up, Enrique was capable of make 10 adjustments for his or her defeat at Strasbourg over the weekend, that means his squad needs to be match and rested for the Champions League fixture.
PSG’s defensive solidity doesn’t get the credit score
When discussing PSG within the Champions League this season, Enrique’s attacking high quality is recurrently praised, and rightly so. The likes of Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Bradley Barcola are horrifying choices, and consequently, their defensive solidity won’t get the credit score it deserves.
PSG have conceded simply 0.9 objectives per recreation within the Champions League this marketing campaign, with solely Arsenal, Liverpool, and Inter Milan managing fewer. The French facet will have to be at their finest defensively, because the Gunners shall be seeking to assert management in the hunt for a method again within the tie.
Arsenal virtually excellent at each ends
The Gunners have loved a formidable marketing campaign in Europe after struggling to maintain up with Liverpool within the Premier League title race. Mikel Arteta’s facet are recognized for his or her defensive solidity, however they’ve additionally been scoring for enjoyable on the continent.
So much has been mentioned about Arsenal’s want for a striker, however they’ve been spreading objectives across the crew. Solely Barcelona have scored extra objectives per recreation within the Champions League, regardless of no Arsenal participant scoring greater than 5 occasions within the competitors.
Mendes vs. Saka battle may very well be the distinction
Bukayo Saka is undoubtedly the hazard man for the Gunners, however Nuno Mendes managed to maintain him comparatively quiet within the opening leg. Shutting down Saka can usually be the important thing to beating Arsenal, and in the event that they accomplish that as soon as once more, we might see PSG advance into the ultimate.
Mendes gained six out of seven of his floor duels and all of his aerial battles towards the Gunners final trip, with Saka capable of produce only one shot, a long-distance effort that hardly troubled the goalkeeper. Arteta shall be determined to see extra from the England worldwide, however Mendes gained’t let him have it straightforward.
Prediction
PSG have regarded lethal in transition this season, so setting as much as defend and hitting Arsenal on the counter might swimsuit them. We’re going for a 1-0 PSG victory, taking them by means of to the ultimate with a 2-0 combination win.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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