A significant European rivalry is set to be renewed as Arsenal hosts Paris Saint-Germain for the opening leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal tie on Tuesday. The two sides previously faced each other in the UCL group stage last October, where Arsenal secured a 2-0 victory. The London club heads into this match in strong form, currently on a 12-game unbeaten streak across all competitions. Meanwhile, the Parisian team has already overcome two other Premier League opponents, eliminating Liverpool and Aston Villa, on their journey to the semifinal stage.
The match is scheduled to kick off from Emirates Stadium in London at 3 p.m. ET.
Ahead of this crucial encounter, a proven sports expert has offered his analysis and predictions. Here are his key picks for the Arsenal vs. PSG Champions League fixture:
Expert Pick: Both Teams to Score
The expert highlights the offensive firepower present in both squads but points out weaknesses in their defensive setups. He states, “Arsenal possess more than enough attacking threat to score against PSG, who have managed just one clean sheet in their last eight matches.” Conversely, he suggests potential issues for the home side, noting, “Recent errors from defender William Saliba and Jakub Kiwior not being as robust as Gabriel Magalhães could mean Arsenal struggles to contain PSG`s dangerous attackers such as Desiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Achraf Hakimi, and Nuno Mendes.” Based on these assessments, a scenario where both teams find the back of the net is anticipated.
Expert Pick: Arsenal to Win
Despite facing some injury concerns across their squad, the expert believes Mikel Arteta`s team is capable of securing a victory in the first leg. He references Arsenal`s impressive home performance against Real Madrid earlier in the competition, where they won 3-0 with a clean sheet on their way to a convincing 5-1 aggregate win. The expert predicts that Arsenal will be highly motivated to gain an advantage at home before traveling to France for the return leg next week.
