Arsenal 0-1 PSG: Ousmane Dembélé's Early Strike Gives Luis Enrique’s Side the Edge in Champions League Clash
Paris Saint-Germain claimed a 1-0 win over Arsenal in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Emirates Stadium. An early goal from Ousmane Dembélé proved decisive in a tightly contested match. The return leg is scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, at the Parc des Princes.
Arsenal face an uphill battle to reach the Champions League final after Ousmane Dembélé’s early strike secured a 1-0 win for PSG at the Emirates Stadium.
PSG burst out of the gates with an early strike from Dembélé, but Arsenal were kept at bay thanks to a pair of world-class saves by Gianluigi Donnarumma, who denied both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.
It was a frustrating night for Arsenal, as Mikel Merino's header was disallowed for offside, prompting angry reactions from fans towards referee Slavko Vincic at both half-time and full-time. The evening could have been even more damaging for the north London side, with PSG missing two clear-cut chances late in the game.
Mikel Arteta’s team now faces a daunting challenge in next week’s second leg in Paris as they fight to keep their hopes of a first-ever Champions League title alive.
Arteta: Disappointing to not get at least a draw
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta speaking to Amazon Prime:
"We’re disappointed with the result—we put so much into the game.
In the first 10 to 15 minutes, we struggled to build momentum and assert the dominance we usually have, especially in how and where we regain possession. That caused us some problems early on.
Aside from the goal, there wasn’t much else between the teams. At this level, individual moments make the difference.
From that point on, we improved and grew into the game. It’s frustrating not to come away with at least a draw."
Luis Enrique:
"We showed the world the kind of team we truly are."
PSG boss Luis Enrique speaking to Amazon Prime:
"Emotions run high in matches like this, which makes them hard to analyse."
"It was a tough game in a fantastic atmosphere, but we showed who we are as a team."
"We stuck to our style, and it paid off early with a goal in the opening minutes."
"I’m happy with the performance. We had to suffer at times, and we could’ve scored a second, but there’s still another leg to play—it’s going to be a very close tie."
What's next for Arsenal and PSG?
Arsenal will head to France for the return leg against PSG next Wednesday at the Parc des Princes.
Before that, the Gunners face Bournemouth in a Premier League clash on Saturday, kicking off in the late afternoon and broadcast live on Sky Sports. Meanwhile, PSG will travel to Strasbourg in Ligue 1 earlier that same day.
The Champions League final is set for Saturday, May 31, at the Allianz Arena in Munich. The winner of this semi-final will meet either Barcelona or Inter Milan in the final.