PSG manager Luis Enrique cautioned his team against any complacency during the second leg at the Parc des Princes, warning that letting their focus slip, even briefly, could see their advantage disappear in the Champions League semifinal tie against Arsenal.
Ousmane Dembele`s early goal in the fourth minute gave PSG the lead at the Emirates Stadium. However, late missed opportunities by Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos might prove costly, preventing PSG from extending their lead further. After a strong initial 20 minutes where Vitinha controlled the midfield, it looked like PSG might dominate.
However, Arsenal managed to reorganize and created several chances to level the score. Mikel Merino had a disallowed header for offside, Gabriel Martinelli threatened twice in the first half, and Leandro Trossard forced a good save from Gianluigi Donnarumma. Mikel Arteta remained confident in his team`s ability to reach the final, a view seemingly shared by Luis Enrique.
Luis Enrique stated, “We achieved our goal tonight. Our only focus now is to win the second match at home too. We must not relax or become complacent against Arsenal. They are a team capable of changing everything instantly, which would leave us right back where we started. We haven`t secured anything yet, and they will play without pressure.”
PSG`s path to the final would be smoother if Dembele is available. The French attacker has been exceptionally effective this year and continued to trouble Arsenal`s defense after scoring his well-taken opening goal, a low shot that went in off David Raya`s left post.
Nevertheless, Dembele left the field injured in the 70th minute, appearing to hold his hamstring. Luis Enrique confirmed the injury, leaving uncertainty about the availability of his key forward for the second leg.
The Spanish coach commented, “He will be tested tomorrow. It`s not a major issue, just a minor problem, but it makes him a doubt for the return leg.”
He added, “We hope to have Dembele available, but we operate as a collective unit. It`s better if Ousmane plays, but if he cannot, we will still be a strong team. This has been our approach all season.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal heads to the Parc des Princes aware that the deficit could have been larger, but also having created chances that could have altered the tie`s direction. After an uncertain beginning, Arsenal competed well for the remainder of the match, using long balls that tested Marquinhos and the PSG defense. With Thomas Partey potentially returning, there is still hope, despite the club`s history of never progressing after losing the first leg at home.
When asked if his team needed a vastly improved performance in the second leg, Arteta responded, “I don`t believe a major improvement is necessary, as the difference was minimal. However, if we do play significantly better, the outcome should hopefully be much different.”
Arsenal demonstrated their capability to perform in crucial European away fixtures, notably in the quarterfinals at the Santiago Bernabeu (even with a first-leg advantage). They will need to replicate this performance in Paris next week.
Arteta concluded, “To win the Champions League, you must achieve something exceptional, and we will need to do something exceptional in Paris. I can`t put a number on our chances, but I believe we have a strong possibility of reaching the final.”
