Who: Arsenal vs Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
What: UEFA Champions League semifinal, first leg
The place: Emirates Stadium, London
When: Tuesday at 8pm (19:00 GMT)
Comply with Al Jazeera Sport’s dwell text and photo commentary stream.
13-time English top-flight league victors Arsenal proceed their quest to win a maiden UEFA Champions League title once they conflict with PSG within the first leg of their semifinal at Emirates.
The Gunners booked their place within the ultimate 4 of the event by completely outplaying defending champions Actual Madrid to win their quarterfinal collection 5-1 on mixture.
PSG’s street to the Champions League semifinal stage has been equally spectacular. Les Parisiens brought on one of many largest upsets of the event, defeating Liverpool on penalties within the spherical of 16 after the groups completed their two-leg collection tied at 1-1.
PSG have additionally been totally dominant of their home Ligue 1 competitors this season, recording a shocking 30-game unbeaten streak that solely ended on Friday in a 3-1 house defeat towards Good.
Right here is all to know earlier than the semifinal opener between two of essentially the most dynamic soccer golf equipment in Europe:
When did Arsenal and PSG final play one another within the Champions League?
The groups final performed on October 1 in a gaggle part fixture.
First-half objectives by Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka helped Arsenal ease to a 2-0 house win over PSG at Emirates Stadium.
However PSG have improved dramatically since then due largely to supervisor Luis Enrique’s resolution to drop star striker Ousmane Dembele towards Arsenal for disciplinary causes – an motion that impressed the France ahead’s excellent run of type.
Who did Arsenal and PSG defeat to achieve the semifinal stage?
PSG upset Premier League leaders Liverpool within the spherical of 16, dramatically profitable the second leg in a penalty shootout.
They then knocked out one other high English membership, Aston Villa, on the quarterfinal stage, profitable 5-4 on mixture and advancing to their third Champions League semifinals in 5 years.
Arsenal, along with inflicting a significant boil-over by defeating Actual Madrid within the quarters, destroyed Dutch-side PSV Eindhoven 9-3 on mixture within the spherical of 16.
Crew information: Arsenal
Supervisor Mikel Arteta faces a few key choice complications with the primary difficulty being who will substitute key midfielder Thomas Partey, who will sit out this match towards PSG with a one-game suspension. Mikel Merino is tipped to switch the Ghanaian worldwide with Leandro Trossard slotting into the ahead line in Merino’s place.
On the damage entrance, Jorginho, who would have been essentially the most appropriate alternative for Partey, is anticipated to overlook Tuesday’s match as he recovers from a rib damage. Defenders Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori are uncertain as each get better from knee accidents.
Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all sidelined for the remainder of the season.
Crew information: PSG
In a uncommon incidence for this late within the season, PSG supervisor Luis Enrique’s squad is injury-free for Tuesday’s match towards Arsenal in London.
Regardless of the crew dropping its 30-game unbeaten streak in that uncharacteristic 3-1 drubbing, Enrique is anticipated to retain the identical beginning XI for his or her Champions League fixture with the potential exception being Need Doue’s demotion to make means for Bradley Barcola within the midfield.
Mentor-protegee supervisor battle
Arteta must beat one of the influential figures in his soccer life to advance to the Champions League ultimate.
Standing in his means is an in depth pal who performed a significant position in his Spanish compatriot’s spectacular transition from the pitch to the dugout.
Enrique was a senior star at Barcelona when Arteta began his taking part in profession on the Camp Nou, a interval that had a significant affect on his managerial philosophy with Arsenal.
“He was extraordinarily supportive with the younger gamers. He was one of many essential characters by far. I’ve actually good recollections of him,” Arteta mentioned.
“What I like about him is wherever he’s been, as a participant or a supervisor, his fingerprints are in all places.
“You possibly can sense it’s his crew with the way in which his gamers behave, the way in which they need to assault and dominate video games.”
Doable lineups:
Arsenal potential beginning XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Merino, Odegaard; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli
PSG potential beginning XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Ruiz, Vitinha, Neves; Barcola, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia
Participant to observe: Ousmane Dembele (PSG)
The gifted French ahead overcame a gradual begin to the season to reel off one of many biggest offensive performances in Europe this season.
In 44 home league fixtures, the 27-year-old Dembele scored 32 objectives and recorded 12 assists to gas PSG’s unimaginable 30-match unbeaten run. His contribution in entrance of purpose was pivotal to Les Parisiens profitable the Ligue 1 title with an astounding six video games remaining within the season.
