On the outskirts of the city, where the suburbs start to neighborhood for lush countryside and the Paris Saint-German coach Luis Enrique drives 9 km from his house to the training field in Poissy on his bike, everything was Serene on Tuesday when Achraf Hakimi started talking about what lies for Arsenal.
Hakimi transported us there, to Wednesday evening, as good as he could. “The atmosphere will be insane, inside and outside the stadium,” said the PSG defender. 'These are the games in which children want to play. The city will stop breathing for this game; I completely understand that. The fans helped us destroy the match against Manchester City when we were down and they deserve this joy now. '
A few hours later, Mikel Arteta and Declan Rice walked into the Parc des Princes while leaving and breed on Tuesday evening, waiting at his time. The one after the other, Arsenal coach and the midfield general match Hakimi for optimism. After listening for a few minutes, it felt like you were attending a seminar about the power of positive thinking.
Arsenal is perhaps a goal of the first stage of this semi-final of the Champions League, when they never completely recovered from a PSG master class in the first 30 minutes, but you would not have known to hear the couple speak.
Rice, who will be released to play in his favorite No. 8 roll by the return of Thomas Pedey after suspension, radiated big eyes, smiling enthusiasm for the task for him and his team, although he will take on Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves, generally considered the best midfield in Europe.
He spoke about it as an opportunity to get closer to immortality, an opportunity to write history by reaching the first Champions League final of Arsenal for 19 years, an opportunity to start a gold rush of trophies that will bring the almost man of Arsenal's almost man reputation to the sword.
“The next step for us is to win trophies,” said Rice, after he was invited to remember the two stunning free kicks he scored against Real Madrid in the quarterfinals. 'I feel that we are close by, but to get over the line, you have to win the first. I feel that they will certainly come in. We have such a good group, but we must continue to believe and be positive. '
It was in another part of the city, in the Stade de France, where Arsenal lost their only performance in the final against Barcelona in 2006, but Arteta, who played 18 months before PSG, is determined to lay those spirits.
“Yes, it will give us a different chance in this city,” said Arteta, “and it brings you to places that are sometimes so related. It's a nice story, so let's make it our own tomorrow.
'We come here with enormous enthusiasm, enormous energy. We are a victory away from being in the Champions League final and we are in the most beautiful city in the world. Against a big opponent. It doesn't get much better than that. We are here to write history. We have a big chance.
'Winning trophies is going to be in the right place about the right time. Liverpool has won the title with fewer points than we have had in the past two seasons, so you have to be in the right place at the right time. Hopefully we will be in the right place in Paris tomorrow at the right time. '
Arteta also hinted that the pressure will be PSG for their own fans. They have benefits better blew than the person they have earlier about Arsenal, in particular the lead of four goals they throwed away over Barcelona in 2017 and the three goals in 17 decisive minutes they admitted to Real Madrid in 2022.
But there is also busy on Arteta. Their failed challenge for the Premier League title is stretched in a bit of a grim struggle to hold on to the second place, in which some even suggest the Apocalyptic scenario that they could still lose their place in the top five.
Some, even under the support of Arsenal, have tried to paint the second stage of Wednesday evening as a competition that the Government of Arteta could do in the Emirates if his team is unable to respond to his own snowstorm of optimism.
Those voices suggest, even before the match has taken place, that Arteta has hit a ceiling in the club and that the prospect of three consecutive second finishes placed in the Premier League-Laat that the progress of Arsenal has stalled.
That analysis is poor. To begin with, it assumes that the natural place of Arsenal in the English football firm is like a regular winner of competition titles and that Arteta somehow sells the club briefly.
The reality is of course that Arsenal has not won the competition for 21 years and has won it only six times in the last 72 years. They are not a habit of champions. It does not mean that they are not entitled to dream, as every club does, but Arteta brings them closer to that dream.
It is frustrating that Arsenal cannot get over the line in the competition, but that does not change the fact that Arteta consistently approaches too much with the resources at his disposal. Not that those resources are unconscious, but they do not match what is available for Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool.
Arteta always gets closer Arsenal. Whatever happens in the Parc des Princes, reaching the semi -final of the world's leading club match is another example of the progress of the club and the restoration of the European elite.
It would be absurd for Arsenal to think about sacrificing that maturity and consistency by abandoning Arteta when he brought them so close to the big prices. They can now see the destination. They just have to support the manager by strengthening the team in the summer and holding their nerve.
There is still a feeling, despite support for Kai Havertz from the club, that the club needs an upgrade in the front line, whether with a conventional center or with another attacker who plays more like a false 9.
This run to the last four of the Champions League, and possibly afterwards, can only help with the recruitment process. If they can add PSG to Real Madrid in their list of victims, attracting the best players will be much easier.
However, the last step is often the most difficult. Beyond all the talk, and the shiny smiles know Arteta and Rice know that. “To be in the final of the Champions League,” said Arteta, “you have to do something exceptional. Tomorrow night is the night that we have to raise ourselves. '