The road to Allianz Arena continues on Tuesday as Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain lock horns in the first leg of a much-anticipated UEFA Champions League semi-final. Both sides are dreaming of lifting Europe’s most prestigious club trophy for the first time, having previously fallen just short — Arsenal losing 2-1 to Barcelona in 2006, and PSG narrowly beaten 1-0 by Bayern Munich in 2020.
Arsenal vs PSG Preview
- Fixture: Arsenal vs Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
- Competition: UEFA Champions League 2024/25 — Semi-final (First Leg)
- Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
- Kick-off Time: 8:00 PM (UK Time) / 9:00 PM (CET)
- Venue: Emirates Stadium, London, England
- Referee: [To be confirmed]
- Broadcast/Live Stream: BT Sport (UK), beIN Sports (MENA), CBS/Paramount+ (USA)
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have every reason to approach the tie with confidence. They are unbeaten in 3 Champions League meetings with PSG, winning 1 and drawing 2, and already claimed a 2-0 victory over the Parisians earlier this season during the league phase. Arsenal also delivered a statement performance against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, breezing through with a dominant 5-1 aggregate triumph.
However, this is not the same PSG they met earlier in the campaign — Luis Enrique’s men have grown stronger, knocking out Liverpool and Aston Villa to reach the final four and hunting for a Premier League scalp hat-trick.
Both clubs come into the semi-final with mixed fortunes from their domestic leagues. Arsenal were recently held to a draw by Crystal Palace, while PSG suffered their first Ligue 1 defeat of the season at the hands of Nice. Nonetheless, the Gunners are riding a 12-match unbeaten streak across all competitions and will be eager to seize the momentum at the Emirates Stadium.
Team News
On the squad front, Arsenal will miss Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhães, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jorginho, and Kai Havertz, with Thomas Partey also suspended. Meanwhile, PSG have no injury or suspension concerns ahead of their trip to London — according to Livescore.com
With PSG already crowned Ligue 1 champions and chasing a potential treble, and Arsenal eyeing their sole shot at silverware this season, the stakes could not be higher. Expect a thrilling battle as two of Europe’s rising giants face off for a spot in the final.
Arsenal predicted XI: Raya; Lewis-Skelly, Kiwior, Saliba, Timber; Rice, Merino, Ødegaard; Martinelli, Trossard, Saka
PSG predicted XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Ruiz, Vitinha, Neves; Barcola, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia
