The two sides will meet in Paris for the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals
After PSG’s 1-0 win at Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals last week in London, the team coached by Luis Enrique are called to make another statement win against the side coached by Mikel Arteta at their home stadium in Paris on Wednesday.
In terms of the two squads, PSG have their star Ousmane Dembele back in the team ahead of the Arsenal game, as the Frenchman has recovered in time after suffering a hamstring injury in the last days after scoring the crucial 1-0 goal against the Gunners in London. Both key players, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, are expected to be part of the starting eleven alongside midfielders Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, and Joao Neves. PSG head coach Luis Enrique spoke ahead of the return leg in the pre-match press conference, in what might become one of the most important PSG matches in recent history, as the French giants might play their second ever Champions League final after losing the 2020 edition against Hansi Flick’s Bayern Munich.
“It’s been one of my goals since I joined the club: to offer our fans an attractive playing philosophy. Our way of playing must make the fans proud, with special values. Ousmane Dembele will be available for the game. He trained with us two days in a row”, Luis Enrique said. Though at lineup time, Dembele was left on the bench, perhaps not fit for 90 minutes.
How to watch PSG vs. Arsenal and odds
- Date: Wednesday, May 7 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Parc de Princes — Paris, France
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: PSG +109; Draw +263; Arsenal +234
The team coached by Arteta is dealing with more fitness issues compared to the home side, as Jorginho, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all not available for the second leg on Wednesday, same as Riccardo Calafiori, who is still recovering from the knee injury. However, Thomas Partey will be back in the team after serving a one-match suspension in the first leg and he will play alongside Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice in the three-man midfield behind the attacking trio that should be formed by Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli. Let’s take a look at the likely lineups:
Lineups
PSG XI: Gianluigi Donnarumma; Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Joao Neves; Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia
Arsenal XI: David Raya; Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Myles Lewis-Skelly; Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino, Gabriel Martinelli
