Arsenal vs Paris Saint-Germain: Mikel Arteta's Side will welcome PSG on Tuesday in the Emirates for the first stage of their semi-final meeting of the Champions League
Arsenal are only two games from reaching only the second Champions League in their history – and that also applies to Paris Saint -Germain. Two clubs that long for the largest prize in Europe will lock Hoorns on the Emirates on Tuesday for round one of a two -legged struggle.
Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal players produced a master class to spend Real Madrid in the quarterfinals. The Gunners won both competitions to send shock waves over the competition.
In the meantime, PSG made hard work of their collision with Aston Villa. After four goals in the beginning of the second stage, Luis Enrique's exciting talent almost blew their advantage, but slept through.
Now we come to the semi-final, with Arsenal and PSG who are fighting for Face Barcelona or Inter Milan in the Champions League final. The showpiece takes place on Saturday 31 May in Munich.
We asked the mirror football team to give their predictions for the draw.
John Cross
Come on, who saw Arsenal's incredible victory coming over Real Madrid? Certainly not me! I admit that I tipped Real Madrid to continue and I probably gave Arsenal only about 20 percent chance.
So if I tip Paris Saint-Germain this time to make progress and meet Barcelona in the final (because I think they will defeat Inter Milan in the other semi-final), then that should be the kiss of death for the men of Luis Enrique. The reason why I have had trouble being convinced of the opportunities of Arsenal in the Champions League is their inconsistent Premier League form.
They dropped points in 16 of the 34 league games. They have blown a lead in nine competitions. How can you win the European Cup there? I'm not sure if you can do it. They also miss Thomas Partey from the first stage and winning at the Emirates is the key because PSG is so good at home.
I would like to see that Arsenal is doing it, an English team in the last and new name on the trophy, but I think it will be Barcelona versus PSG in the final.
Prediction: PSG
Andy Dunn
After I went to Villa Park on a memorable but somewhat bizarre night, I saw 20 minutes of football, making me a very optimistic Arsenal, the final of the Champions League will reach. This PSG team is very attractive to watch, but very vulnerable and Aston Villa could have had four or five in that 20-minute period in the second stage of their quarterfinals after the break.
Declan Rice will be an important player in the middle of midfield, where I expect that he dominates and Bukayo Saka and those who otherwise work wide can use the space that has been left behind by the looting full-backs of PSG. It was their first competition -the defeat of a season in which they hit the title, but this is a PSG side that shipped three to Nice at home at the weekend, because of course they were shipped to Villa.
Arsenal will not be so open if Villa was against the French champions and will score enough to endure it. A victory at home and a draw is the way they do it.
Prediction: arsenal
Who will reach the last – Arsenal or PSG? Give us your prediction in the commentary section.
Chris McKenna
This is really difficult because PSG vs Arsenal should be a Blockbuster Champions League -similar game. The most important battle will be in midfield for me. PSG's midfield is class, part of their passing and moving is a pleasure to look at.
They lost the game 1-0, so this may sound ridiculous to say, but their achievements in the first stage against Liverpool were the best I saw this season of each team. How does Arsenal stop that midfield? Physicality.
They have the larger men. Thomas Partey, however, will be a big miss in the first stage. That could be the key and I think PSG will come from the Emirates with a draw before he barely hits the Gunners at home.
On the other side of the draw, Inter were excellent in two legs against Bayern Munich and they are very difficult to score against. However, their form of competition has taken a dip in recent weeks, while Barcelona is a high after the success of Copa del Rey. Yet I still choose Inter to get through two tight legs.
Prediction: PSG
David Anderson
This is an intriguing tie and I think Arsenal can just border. I thought that Paris Saint-Germain was the best team in Europe because of the way she overcome Liverpool and they were the better team over both legs.
But the way in which they wilt in Villa Park in the second half before they scraped up to 5-4 on aggregated showed them very human. I expect Arsenal to go where they had left Real Madrid and they were excellent in both feet against the current Champions League holders.
After the disappointment of their Premier League campaign, where they have never generated a momentum to challenge Liverpool, Europe brings out the best in them. The side of Mikel Arteta still has shortcomings, such as in the front, but they have the belief to get results.
Liverpool proved in 2005 that you don't have to be the best team in Europe to win the Champions League and maybe this can be the year of Arsenal.
Prediction: arsenal
Mark Jones
You can be pretty sure that there will be a 20 -minute spell in the emirates where Arsenal tries to break down the door and PSG is besieged. The Gunners were able to score three goals during this period – as they did against Real Madrid – or they could not score there, and that is where the draw is won and lost.
I would worry about Arsenal if they don't come to Paris, and although it can be apologized, since they had lost the title, there has been a faint element for their recent competition displays that do not predict well. They look fairly long -legged.
That can be a factor against a fresher PSG, and although I think it will be very tight, I go with the Parisians to just over both legs.
Prediction: PSG
Oli gamp
With the risk of humiliating myself after previously predicting a real madrid versus Bayern Munich -final, I think we will see a repeat of the 2006 final between Barcelona and Arsenal. I thought the Gunners would be torn apart by the side of Carlo Ancelotti, but they proved me that I was wrong.
They proved the world wrong and that did with a smart, disciplined performance based on and organized defense and decisive counterattacks. PSG was impressive to expel Premier League champions Liverpool from this competition, but against Aston Villa in the quarterfinals they looked vulnerable.
The men of Unai Emery have quality, but are far from top level and if they can score four against this PSG team, Arsenal should be able to cause much more damage. Apart from Ousmane Dembele – who is under the fire of the French press – PSG does not have many world knockers and I think the side of Mikel Arteta should have enough to abandon them and reach the final. It is Barcelona, ​​where they come across the real test against people like Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski.
Prediction: arsenal
Scott Trotter
It is no surprise in this phase of the competition that a strict affair lies in front of us. Paris Saint-Germain lost their undefeated season in Ligue 1 at the weekend, before they are confronted with the last invincible side of the Premier League, but will certainly be in danger of Arsenal at the Emirates.
The Gunners beat the victory over the French champions earlier this season, but with Arsenal hindered by injuries, Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola could lick their lips in PSG's forward line.
Luis Enrique has appeared Blase about the threat of Arsenal from Set pieces, which is dangerous to do. The side of Mikel Arteta benefited earlier in the season and PSG gave a free kick against Nice from a free kick on Friday. Captain Marquinhos has called on his team to improve in that area and that is a worrying situation to be a trip to North Londs.
PSG is perhaps the exciting team to look in the future and they must be able to claim a goal. Enrique's men can give that enough to take advantage of playing at home in the second stage.
Prediction: PSG
Sam Meade
PSG is the team that peaks at the right time and they may just see them do this heavyweight semi-final. Many Arsenal -fans will say that they have already made light work by the Parisians this season, but since then they have come to jumping.
In two legs, the French side may have just enough to lose the Gunners. Although the Premier League side has risen to the great occasion and two brilliant competitions produce to Down Real Madrid, this side of Paris, however, has been electric, especially at home.
It can be how much Arsenal can live with the French champions once they are in the Parc des Princes – and there is no doubt that they have to take a lead to Paris to get a chance. Declan Rice still needs a huge game with the PSG midfield that often checks the pace of their games.
Luis Enrique has claimed that he fully understands what Arsenal is about and these two legs will show whether he bluffed if he really holds all the cards.
Prediction: PSG