Arsenal vs PSG live online: goals, score, updates & stats| Champions League semi final 24/25
Arsenal 0-1 PSG: as it happened
A tough night for Arsenal; PSG thrilled with win
PSG will be delighted with that result after a strong performance across the 90 minutes away from home.
The first half of the game saw the away side fly out of the blocks and score with a fabulous Dembélé strike that he hit on the bounce, with the ball crossing the goal and flying into Raya's net after clipping the post on the way past his outstretched glove.
Then came a period of French dominance, with Luis Enrique's side exuding a sense of control indicative of why many have them tipped to win the trophy. Martinelli went close towards the break, but his effort was stopped by a solid Donnarumma who continued his form in the second half.
Despite forcing Donnarumma into a few nice saves, the Parisians were in control for large swathes of the fixture and constantly threatened on the break.
A couple of late chances from PSG saw them hit the bar and miss a sitter thanks to Barcola, who will know he could have done a lot better to take his side one step closer to progressing to the final.
It all got a bit desperate for Arsenal towards the end as they huffed and puffed in front of goal.
While there may be frustration from Arsenal, they can have no complaints with the result and a 0-1 scoreline is not an unsurmountable deficit to overturn in Paris, where the pressure will be on both teams in another intriguing round of Champions League football.
That's all folks!
We're leaving it there. Join us tomorrow for more Champions League action, as Barcelona host Inter.
FULL-TIME!
PSG take a one goal lead back to France after beating Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
And the referee has called for a foul on Donnarumma as the set piece coach goes after the fourth official.
Arsenal win a corner; Rice will take it. Last chance saloon...
Martinelli receives the ball on the edge of the box but his effort is shocking and he sends the ball wildly into the stands.
5 added minutes.
Another Arsenal change:
OFF: Ødegaard
ON: Nwaneri
Into the final minute of normal time; expect a good whack of added time given the VAR check from earlier.
PSG switch things up:
OFF: João Neves
ON: Zaire-Emery
Rice thunders a rocket into the melee of players but it's woofed away by a PSG shirt.
Martinelli sweeps past Hakimi and the winger goes down; it's a free-kick to Arsenal on the left edge of the box, near the corner flag. It will be crossed in...
CROSSBAR!
Arsenal are riding their luck: Ramos takes the ball down after it's sent over the top of the home side's defence. Instead of aiming for the corner of the goal, Ramos slams the ball directly at goal with the end of his boot, poking it off the crossbar from close range.
WHAT A CHANCE. It should be 0-2.
Sensational play between the PSG attackers slices Arsenal open and Barcola races through but sends his shot wide of Raya's goal.
Arteta's first change:
OFF: Timber
ON: White
Arteta is furious as Arsenal are penalised following a handball. They can't touch the ball in any meaningful or dangerous way.
A desperate Arsenal long ball is comfortably caught by Donnarumma, who then spends a generous amount of time with his belly touching the pitch.
OVER THE BAR (again): Kvaratskhelia fires a shot high and wide after cutting in from the left.
OVER THE BAR. Barcola sets up João Neves on the edge of the box but it's a dreadful attempt that is spooned high into the stands.
SAVE. Donnarumma gets down well as the Italian stops Saka's hit from a tight angle following somedancing feet from the Englishman.
Second PSG change:
OFF: Doué
ON: Gonçalo Ramos
Fifteen minutes of normal time to go... PSG are still holding out despite Arsenal's efforts.
Kvaratskhelia makes David Raya clench his you-know-what with a clipped effort from halfway that zooms over the bar as the goalkeeper scrambles back in a hurry.
The Arsenal fans have had a second wind and are pushing their team on as the pace of the game slows.
Luis Enrique makes his first change of the night:
OFF: Dembélé
ON: Barcola
Dembélé is down and it looks like his night may be over; Barcola is preparing to come on.
As much as Arsenal are pressing PSG into their defensive third, it's like the Big Bad Wolf trying to blow down the house of sticks: it's not impossible but it's taking a lot of work.
A wayward pass from João Neves gives the home fans something to cheer about. A rare mistake from the young midfielder.
Saliba lets Kvaratskhelia slips away before the Georgian slips on his heels and crashes to the floor in the Arsenal box. A huge let off for the home side who fell asleep for a crucial second.
Dancing feet from Doué in his own half sees him sliced down by Merino.
We've had an hour gone and Saliba has just saved a second goal from PSG after Hakimi was slipped in by Dembélé.
Neves goes in on Saka as he creeps towards the edge of the box and the challenge has to be perfect or else he's in huge danger. It's a pickpocket manoeuvre that Arsène Lupin would be proud of, and PSG regain the ball.
HUGE SAVE! Trossard is played through and is away after a great ball from Rice. He sends a low shot from the left towards the far post and that is a stunning save from the Italian wall in front of the PSG goal.
There's a bit of confusion between the PSG attackers as Doué and Kvaratskhelia try to tiptoe their way into the Arsenal box in their first promising move of the half. Saliba stabs the ball away from the danger area.
Something of a shout of handball against PSG as Arsenal, who have started brightly, come again and attack their box.
Back underway... as you were.
OFFSIDE!
VAR rules that Merino was in an offside position.
We're still waiting...
It was a 'typical' Arsenal set piece, with the red shirts standing a few metres away from the defenders before running in formation towards the ball.
Declan Rice swings in the ball as Arsenal's superstar striker beats his marker to head past Donnarumma!
And the first thing we have is a free-kick against João Neves, whose arm hit Mikel Merino, according to the referee, as they jumped for the ball.
It didn't, but Arsenal have a free-kick on the left that will once again be whipped into the box.
Second half underway!
Arsenal get us going; no changes for either side.
Will we see any changes?
Personally, I don't think so; just as PSG will pleased with their start, Arsenal will be hopeful they can carry on in the same way they ended the game. If there are any changes, they'll be tactical tweaks.
Hope for Arsenal after strong PSG start
The French side came out flying and Dembélé's fantastic goal after just 4 minutes settled the nerves as they put on their best show against an Arsenal side that couldn't cope with the intricate passing and fast breaks. It was half an hour of complete control and a period of play that showed their class all across the pitch.
But as time went on, the home side slowly clawed back control and created a few openings themselves, with Martinelli's low drive the pick of the bunch following a sensational turn and through pass by Lewis-Skelly. The Gunners will want to perhaps hold back on the challenges, as they've been punished by the referee for a few tough tackles.
Overall, both sides can be fairly happy with how that half played out.
Dembélé the difference at the break
I've watched the goal a few times now and the way he hits the ball as it bounces towards him, directing it from the left side of the edge of the box towards the far past that it clips on the way in, was simply breathtaking.
HALF-TIME!
Arsenal are behind but they grew into the game and could have been level right at the end of the half; for the majority of the half, PSG have been the superior side, and would arguably want to be more than one goal ahead.
A single added minute.
SAVE!!! And what a save it was!!!
Martinelli was played in behind and opened his body for that typical strike into the far post. Donnarumma stretched 3 times his normal size to push the ball away - the Arsenal fans can't believe it!
Into the final minute of normal time in the first half.
And now Hakimi has been booked for a shove on Timber. More roars.
If the Emirates Stadium was called the Red Bull Arena, it would have wiiings by now given the explosion of noise that we've just heard from the fans (other energy drinks are available).
It seemed like a fair challenge from Saka on Mendes, and it would have seen him 1vs1 with Donnarumma, but Mr referee has his card out.
Donnarumma catches the header from Trossard and it was a simple catch, but that's encouraging from Arteta's men, who appear to have taken the snap, crackle and pop out of PSG's counter-attacking bonanza.
CHANCE. Martinelli can't get on the end of Saka's cross and his toe clips the ball as Saka's cross drops perfectly to him. Replays show he'd have been given offside but that was better from the home side.
Saka squirms inside from the right and fires off a decent effort towards goal. Easily saved but PSG won't want that happening much more.
No way is that a penalty - it's a stunning tackle from the young midfielder.
PENALTY? Merino goes down inside the box after a quick turnover sees the Spaniard find possession in the box before what looked like it might be a trip from João Neves.
Easily headed away. No sweat from the French side.
The home side win a free-kick on the left side of the pitch: Ødegaard will swing it into the box.
ARS-PSG
Attempts: 1-6
Attempts on target: 1-4
Doué takes the ball down with a rabona touch before he heads towards goal and falls over, to the delight of the Arsenal fans.
Even though Arsenal have found their way back in in terms of possession, they're nowhere close to carving open their opponents, as PSG routinely are.
Martinelli goes in late on Fabián inside the centre circle. Frustration.
POST! Kvaratskhelia's low effort hits the left post after he picks up Doué's scraps.
Raya stretched low to get to the Frenchman's strike, but the save left the Georgian winger all open; he was, however, offside.
Half an hour gone and the PSG pressure has calmed, but Arsenal still can't unlock their defence.
The home side have started to pop the ball around nicely in the first two thirds of the pitch, although they're not finding a way to get into the danger area as of yet.
SAVE. Raya takes the hit in his ribs after a low effort from Kvaratskhelia is driven towards goal; it was a lightning-fast PSG break that had them on the ropes.
Moans of frustration from the home crowd as Martinelli is lazily caught offside after taking down a long pass from deep. He has the whole of the defensive line in his sights but still doesn't time his run correctly.
A superb delivery lands on the head of Kiwior, but the header is easily collected by Donnarumma.
Arsenal have a free-kick close to halfway after Lewis-Skelly is brought down. Ødegaard will hoof this into the box...
Merino picks up a stray pass inside from Mendes. Saka receives the ball on the right and sends in a cross that is cleared away. Signs of life from the Gunners.
Arsenal arrive at the PSG box and some nice feet from Saka on the right sees a gap open up. He clips to Ødegaard on the right and a cross is looped in, but PSG batter it away.
Timber chops at Kvaratskhelia's legs again and by my mathematics, that's 3 strikes now. Still no card.
I'm repeating myself, but the PSG control here is staggering. The midfielders are, as they tap, tap, tap the ball around, rolling it under their feet and pointing where they want teammates to go before making the simple passes.
Another late challenge from Timber on Kvaratskhelia sees the defender given a final warning...
PSG are in complete control here, and have had almost 70% of the ball in the opening stages.
A dangerous PSG corner finds Hakimi whose shot is blocked. The ball is sent back into the danger zone and Marquinhos forces Raya into a quick-thinking save.
Timber brings down Kvaratskhelia on halfway. He gives a big cry of frustration towards the referee, and perhaps luckily avoids a booking.
Doué wiggles his hips on the edge of the box and finds enough space, roughly the size of a small egg, to fire off a shot towards Raya. It's easily saved but this is a strong start from the Frenchside.
And now another huge roar from the crowd, but this time it's because Trossard has been booked. Hakimi had burst away on the counter and the Belgian had no other option but to take him out on halfway.
A huge roar comes from the crowd after Arsenal win a corner. Nice work from Martinelli on the left side saw him burn past Hakimi before having his cross deflected behind.
PSg have their mojo on show already; they are so fluid on the ball and every touch is causing Arsenal to scramble after them.
A long throw from Arsenal is flicked on by Martinelli before being collected by Donnarumma's extendo-arms.
Back underway. The home fans are stunned.
Dembélé takes the ball in the middle of the pitch and spreads it out wide to Kvaratskhlia, who plays it back to him on the edge of the box. The winger doesn't need a touch to control before swiping a shot into the far post past the outstretched arm of Raya.
PSG playing edgy stuff at the back as Arsenal chase like rabid dogs. They win the ball back and have their first go at making their opponents defend. So far, in the opening few seconds, there have been a lot of nervous twitches...
Some nervy Arsenal touches give PSG their first go on the ball; Arsenal rapidly regain possession after activating their high press.
And we're off!
PSG get us underway...
But first...
A minute of silence for the passing of Pope Francis.
'The Chaaaampioooons' rings around the ground to huge cries of hope
Again, another colossal wave of noise inside the stadium...
The players are in the tunnel!
The biggest game at the Emirates Stadium for 16 years, and you can tell. The nerves as as prominent as the excitement.
The big Champions League flappy ball is flapping!
You'll all be pleased to hear, that the Champions League 'parachute' in the centre circle is being waved wildly by the lucky chosen few. Never mind the players, I want that job.
What a noise inside the stadium!
The Arsenal fans are making themselves heard, as are the travelling French hopefuls.
A reminder of the starting XIs:
Arsenal:
GK: Raya
DEF: Lewis-Skelly - Saliba - Kiwior - Timber
MID: Rice - Ødegaard - Merino
ATT: Saka - Trossard - Martinelli
PSG:
GK: Donnarumma
DEF: Mendes - Marquinhos - Pacho - Hakimi
MID: Fabián - João Neves - Vitinha
ATT: Kvaratskhelia - Doué - Dembélé
Stuart MacFarlane / Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Mikel Merino: a potential masterstroke
I'm not talking about him in the middle of the frontline. Using him in midfield today will give Arsenal that cool, calm presence that he often brings, but this time closer to Rice and Ødegaard, instead of ahead of them.
His presence in the engine room, instead of pushing into the front, could be the key to Arsenal's on-ball game and give them the edge in terms of control, and there's arguably nobody else who can play with cucumber slices over his eyes.
Fifteen minutes to go!
Off go the players for the final team talks ahead of kick-off...
Arsenal have released this video to get the fans going...
And it's safe to say it's done the trick. If that doesn't get you fired up (or make you bone-shakingly nervous) then you've got a heart of granite.
The young man breaking records
And he's up against Doué today, which will be a fantastic battle on the wing.
Twenty minutes to go!
Both teams are coming to the end of their warmup routines as the fans continue to pile into the stadium.
Gabriel Martinelli pre-game quotes:
It’s going to be a big game, we’re really confident,” he said in his pre-match press conference on Monday. “We know the quality that we have. Of course it’s PSG, it’s an amazing team. The’ve got a really good side with great players, but we’re really confident, we trust ourselves to get the win.
We had two great games against Real Madrid at home and away. We have huge respect for PSG but we’re ready. We’ve been working so hard this season and deserve to be here and go for it.
It’s a dream to be here. Since I started to play football when I was five or six I had this dream to play in the Champions League and to be in the semi-final. I love to be here and the club has given me so much, not just on the pitch but off it as well. I’m really happy.
DAMIEN MEYER / AFP
Who to watch: PSG
For me, it 's Vitinha. The Portuguese midfielder has been simply sensational in the engine room of the French side, controlling the speed of the game from the middle, deciding exactly where and when to slow things down or speed them up.
If Arsenal can find a way to stop him then they’re halfway to getting past PSG, although it must be said that their opponents today are hardly comparable to versions of old…
But then again, João Neves is in this picture, so let's pick him as well.
Hannah McKay / REUTERS
We've already seen this game, right?
Correct, reader. Arsenal and PSG have already played this season, with the Gunners coming away with a comprehensive 2-0 win at the Emirates.
The French side are different beast now, and will pose many more problems for Arteta's team than they did on that night in October.
PSG pre-game press conference:
I saw the match [back in October] again. We're a much better team today. We had a very intense group phase, with a lot of games that could have been finals. So I think that made things difficult because we were in a difficult position, but it has made us much stronger and we are more complete.
These are Champions League semi-finals, but they're still two games between two teams with the same goal. The key will be managing the pressure. PSG have never won the Champions League? Neither have Arsenal. We mustn't let that stop us from performing at the highest level, we have to keep that in mind but concentrate on what we have to do.
WHAT A NOISE!
Arsenal's players have just emerged out of the tunnel to start their pregame warmup routine and the fans have responded with a sensational welcome.
In case you were worried...
Arsenal are in their home kit, a classic design that is making its own history this season.
Will history be on the side of the Gunners?
Or can PSG rewrite the script?
Arsenal have not lost to PSG. Ever. Across 5 games, the London side have managed to come away unscathed.
The clash at Arsenal’s on-fire home stadium will be intriguing for that reason among many, and it will be curious to see how this new-look PSG team does against battling the demons of the past.
FRANCK FIFE / AFP
Tonight's stadium...
Believe it or not (obviously do, I wouldn’t be lying about this), but this game marks the first Champions League semi final for 16 years at this stadium. Mikel Arteta was playing for Everton in 2009, while Luis Enrique was managing Barcelona B. Myles Lewis Skelly was learning to walk.
Albert Gea / REUTERS
What about the other semifinal?
Barcelona are taking on Inter in the second semifinal of the UEFA Champions League.
But I'm leaving that there to tease you to come back, as we've got a top tier live feed in the works for that one!
Mikel Arteta pre-game quotes:
You sense the energy, the enthusiasm, that it’s something unique. It's probably one of the biggest games that the Emirates has seen since we built it. We are making history. It’s a beautiful story right now, but we want much more.
We have to have the feeling that we have to hold [the players] back tomorrow to go on that pitch and express themselves. It’s a moment now to say: ‘OK, this is who we are, this is who we are as a team, this is who I am as an individual and I’m going to put my very best in there to make it happen’. Play with that mindset and let yourself go. Live the now, the present. This is where we are. We are so fortunate.
PSG pre-game comments:
We knew Arsenal were capable of the game against Real Madrid, they are one of Europe's best.
We are in the top four on our own merits, the game before showed that they were better but we have changed since then.
They are happy not to have the ball, they will have aggressive moments and calmer moments, so it will be a game for us with a lot of challenges.
JAVIER GANDUL / DIARIO AS
Who to watch: Arsenal
Is it too obvious to say Bukayo Saka?
The reason is that against Real Madrid, which saw him return to the side after a long time out due to injury, he was unplayable and immediately reminded fans, pundits and everyone with at least one eye in their skull what Arsenal were missing to make them a truly competitive side against Europe’s elite.
His speed on and off the ball coupled with his unpredictable movement and solid work rate all work together to make him one of Europe’s elite attackers, and prayers will be said in the PSG camp that somehow he manages to be kept in a box by the defence.
PSG are in their Jordan-inspired fourth kit
Because you can never have too many football kits. That's my mantra, although my partner would not agree.
Arsenal have arrived!
The Gunners have arrived at the Emirates Stadium, where a sensational atmosphere is bubbling away...
Reacting to Arsenal's changes:
PSG are going all-out with their starting XI, and there is nothing in terms of surprises from Luis Enrique.
Mikel Arteta, however, has had to shuffle the pack in Thomas Partey's absence, and has opted for Leandro Trossard in place of the midfielder, a change that has seen superstar striker Mikel Merino drop back into midfield.
Doué is a man on a mission this season
Across 47 games so far this season, Doué has a frankly amazing 13 goals and 12 assists, and is proving himself to be one of Europe's hottest young talents.
He scored a stunning goal against Aston Villa in the previous round, as well as causing them countless problems with his constant running in behind and lack of fear when going up 1vs1 against defenders, who he has eaten for breakfast time and time again this season.
PSG XI CONFIRMED:
GK: Donnarumma
DEF: Hakimi - Marquinhos - Pacho - Mendes
MID: Neves - Vitinha - Fabián
ATT: Dembélé - Doué - Kvaratskhelia
ARSENAL XI CONFIRMED:
GK: Raya
DEF: Lewis-Skelly - Kiwior - Saliba - Timber
MID: Rice - Merino - Ødegaard
ATT: Saka - Trossard - Martinelli
FRANCK FIFE / AFP
PSG too much for Villa
PSG took on surprise side Aston Villa in the previous round, and their talent seemed too much for the English team in the first leg, which saw Doué, Kvaratskhelia and Nuno Mendes give them a 3-1 advantage for the second leg.
Things did get nervy in Birmingham, however, with Villa storming back from 0-2 down to win the game 3-2 on the night, with just one more goal needed. However, much like we saw Arsenal to do Real Madrid, PSG stood firm and managed to keep the net from bulging.
Lee Smith / Action Images via Reuters
How Arsenal's quarterfinal went
Quite well.
Arsenal’s quarter final victories (plural) over Real Madrid (fifteen Champions League trophies) is a story that their fans will not forget for a long time.
The first leg, held at the Emirates, saw them come away with a stunning 3-0 victory after a pair of Declan Rice free-kick golazos stunned Real Madrid’s players before Mikel Merino sealed the embarrassment with a finish that had some people saying the remontada was impossible.
The second leg proved to be so; despite some glimmers of hope from Los Blancos, they just didn’t have the spark to get through Arsenal’s defence, which is testament to the fortress that the London side can turn into when needed. Goals from Saka and Martinelli were enough to get past Vini Jr’s effort and make it two wins from two, sealing their passage to the semis.
Denis Doyle / Getty Images
Who's the ref?
The referee tonight is everyone’s favourite Slovenian, Mr Slavko Vincic. He’s a PrvaLiga pro, and with today’s game he’ll move closer to 100 than 0 when it comes to Champions League ties. His most recent outing in Europe’s elite competition was Inter 2-2 Bayern, but more on that one tomorrow!
Here he is having a lovely old chat with Atlético Madrid defender José María Giménez.
PSG team news:
PSG are missing no players. Zero. Nil. None. Absolutely nobody. They have a full squad.
Arsenal team news:
Calafiori (knee), Gabriel (hamstring), Havertz (hamstring), Jesus (knee), Jorginho (ribs), Tomiyasu (knee) are all out, while there will be no Thomas Partey either, who is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
Mikel Merino and Ben White missed the game against Crystal Palace last week but have both returned to training and are expected to play a role in the game.
We're up and running...
Well, well, well… Here we are, dear reader: into the final four of the Champions League.
The pressure is on as Arsenal host PSG in the first leg in London in what promises to be a battle for the ages between two seriously impressive teams.