On Wednesday evening, Paris Saint-Germain will host Arsenal at Parc des Princes for the critical second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final. PSG emerged from the first leg with a 1-0 advantage thanks to a solitary goal from Ousmane Dembele at the Emirates Stadium, setting the stage for an exciting decider in Paris. With Ligue 1 almost wrapped up, Luis Enrique opted to rotate his squad in their recent 2-1 defeat to Strasbourg.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s preparation has been less than ideal, suffering a 2-1 loss at home to Bournemouth in the Premier League. Mikel Arteta will be hoping to draw on the inspiration from their previous win at Santiago Bernabeu to turn the tide in this crucial match.
Team News:
PSG sees the return of Ousmane Dembele, who missed the Strasbourg game due to injury. However, Lee Kang-in remains a doubt after picking up an injury in the same match. For Arsenal, Thomas Partey is back from suspension, and Jurrien Timber returned to training after missing the Bournemouth game. Additionally, Riccardo Calafiori is closing in on a return from his knee injury.
Predicted Lineups:
Paris Saint-Germain (4-3-3): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, William Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Joao Neves; Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Arsenal (4-3-3): David Raya; Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Myles Lewis-Skelly; Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino, Gabriel Martinelli.
Important Players
With 33 goals and 12 assists in all competitions this season, Ousmane Dembele has been in incredible form. He is one of the most impressive players in Europe and a serious candidate for the Ballon d’Or because of his quick speed, deft dribbling, and goal-scoring ability. Now back from a minor injury, Dembele is expected to play a central role in PSG’s push for a place in the Champions League final. On the other hand, Bukayo Saka has been excellent lately, especially against Real Madrid, where his contributions were crucial. If he can successfully take advantage of gaps in the PSG defense, he could have a big influence on the result for Arsenal.
Prediction:
Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Arsenal.
