LONDON — Arsenal’s long-awaited return to the Champions League semi-finals began not with a bang but a breathless silence. Four minutes in, the Emirates crowd was hushed. Ousmane Dembélé had scored.
From then on, Paris Saint-Germain never truly let go of the game.
“We were prepared,” Dembélé said after the 1-0 win. “We knew we had to strike early.”
And they did. In just 26 passes, PSG sliced through Arsenal with clinical precision, ending in Dembélé’s crisp finish. It was a moment that changed the night and possibly the tie.
For Mikel Arteta, it was a grim watch from the touchline. His players had promised something grand. Instead, they offered frustration. Arsenal came alive only in flashes — a Gabriel Martinelli shot saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma, a missed chance by Leandro Trossard, a set-piece goal chalked off by VAR. Too little, too late.
“We didn’t do enough,” Arteta admitted. “But I believe we can still do something special in Paris.”
That belief will be tested at the Parc des Princes next Wednesday. History is against them. So, increasingly, is form.
The False Start
The noise inside the Emirates before kick-off was deafening. After 16 years, Arsenal was back at this stage. But they froze when the lights came on. For the first 20 minutes, they barely touched the ball.
“They smothered us early,” said defender Ben White. “It took us too long to wake up.”
It was an eerie echo of PSG’s approach at Villa Park earlier in the competition — fast, relentless, and damaging. Aston Villa recovered that night, winning the leg but losing the tie. Arsenal couldn’t even muster that.
A Familiar Story
Arteta’s Arsenal have come close before. Runners-up in the Premier League for three years running. A thrilling comeback at the Bernabéu in the last round. But now, another big night ending with regret.
“You have to score when you’re on top,” said Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson. “And Arsenal didn’t. That’s the difference at this level.”
Even with the crowd behind them and the chances in the second half, there was a sense that Arsenal were always half a step off. Not quite brave enough. Not quite ruthless enough.
Missed Opportunities
One key absence on the night was Thomas Partey. The midfielder missed the match through suspension — a costly yellow card picked up in Madrid. Without him, Declan Rice was pulled deeper, unable to play with his usual attacking freedom.
“Partey gives us balance,” said Arteta. “He’s key.”
Indeed, for PSG’s goal, it was precisely that part of the pitch — Partey’s zone — where Arsenal looked exposed.
His return to Paris could be decisive. With Rice back pushing forward and Martin Ødegaard more involved, Arsenal may yet find their rhythm. But they will need more than hope.
Set-Pieces Fizzle
Perhaps the most surprising element of the night was Arsenal’s ineptitude from dead balls. Once a hallmark of Arteta’s side, their set-piece threat has waned in 2025.
A goal from Mikel Merino was ruled offside. Beyond that, deliveries lacked conviction. PSG, known to struggle in these situations in Ligue 1, barely looked troubled.
Nicolas Jover, Arsenal’s set-piece coach, was visibly agitated late on. Arteta had to drag him back from the technical area. Tempers were fraying — and understandably so.
PSG: A Team Reborn
Few would have recognised this PSG side from the one that lost to Arsenal in October. Luis Enrique has reshaped them — tactically, mentally, even spiritually.
“We are not the same team,” the PSG manager said with a shrug. “We are better.”
That’s not just talk. PSG have now seen off Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal. Dembélé, once considered inconsistent, is enjoying the best goal-scoring season of his career.
He’s also adapted to a new role, operating centrally in Enrique’s fluid attack. Against Arsenal, he was electric.
And this time, when the pressure came late on, PSG held firm.
One More Chance
It’s not over. Arsenal has a week to regroup. A second leg to save themselves. And, as they proved in Madrid, they can spring a surprise away from home.
“There’s a massive opportunity here,” said Merson. “But they need to show real courage. It’s now or never.”
For Arsenal, that may just be the truth. No trophies yet for Arteta. No Champions League final since 2006. And perhaps no more room for near-misses.
As the final whistle blew in north London, the mood was clear. The dream is alive — but only just.
