At the end of a match in which both teams had their moments, Paris Saint-Germain managed to secure a valuable victory on the other side of the Channel (0-1). Take a look back at the successful first act of a closely fought duel!
Two weeks after qualifying at Aston Villa following a spectacular double-header, Paris Saint-Germain returned to the Champions League and England on Tuesday evening for the first leg of their semi-final at the Emirates Stadium. Almost seven months after the last time, Les Rouge et Bleu were back in north London to take on the Gunners once again. This time, Luis Enrique lined up with a central defensive pairing of captain Marquinhos and Willian Pacho in front of Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal. Nuno Mendes started on the left side of defence, with Achraf Hakimi on the right. In midfield, Vitinha was supported by João Neves and Fabián Ruiz, while the Parisian attack was made up of Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
In the kind of electric atmosphere reserved for the really big matches, Paris Saint-Germain kicked off and got off to a flying start. From the opening moments, Les Rouge et Bleu showed they weren't afraid to take the game to their opponents. Ousmane Dembélé latched onto a pull-back from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the left flank and fired home first time to open the scoring with an unstoppable shot across goal (0-1, 4'). It was an ideal start for the capital club, who impressed the Arsenal Stadium with their positive aggression and technical accuracy. Ten minutes later, it was the Parisian defenders‘ turn to shine in attack, with Achraf Hakimi delivering a cross to Marquinhos, who rose highest to force David Raya into action (14’).
Positioned high up the pitch, Paris dictated the play in London and looked explosive every time possession was lost. The Gunners had to adapt their game plan and be patient in order to unsettle the visitors, who had started the game well. As the minutes ticked by, the English side finally managed to get more touches on the ball and started to loom in the Parisian half. However, it was Les Rouge et Bleu who looked the more dangerous, with Désiré Doué receiving the ball in the opposition box and unleashing a powerful right-footed shot that was ultimately saved by Raya's firm hand (31'). The game was heating up, and while Arsenal looked increasingly dangerous, Paris could look to the likes of João Neves, who used the tip of his boot to block Mikel Merino and prevent him from getting a shot away (38').
Just before the break, the pressure on the Parisian goal increased, but this time they were saved by Gigio Donnarumma, who made a crucial save from Gabriel Martinelli (45'). Thanks to a successful start to the game, winning the majority of their duels (57%) and with two exceptional defensive saves, Luis Enrique's men went into the break with a one-goal lead over their opponents. But the home side did not give up and came out fighting in the second half. Mikel Merino thought he had levelled the score when he got on the end of a well-struck free-kick from Declan Rice, but his header was ruled out for offside (47'). It was a warning for the Parisians, who had to deal with a comeback from the Gunners. Centre-forward Leandro Trossard was played into the box and fired in a fierce shot - but it was deflected at the last moment by Gigio Donnarumma, once again decisive on his line (56').
While Paris were undoubtedly paying the price for their high-intensity running in the first half, with Ousmane Dembélé forced to make way (70'), the capital club seized the opportunity to show other virtues: unfailing solidity and solidarity. Because that's also what this Paris Saint-Germain team is all about - a taste for hard work and relentless fighting spirit. These qualities, combined with the Parisians' trademark technical precision, allowed Fabián Ruiz and his teammates to cool the Londoners' boots. With no solutions in open play, Mikel Arteta's players tried to make the difference from set pieces, but to no avail.
Spurred on by their fans, who turned out in force, Paris Saint-Germain held firm and came away with a hard-fought first leg victory against Arsenal. All eyes will now turn to the Parc des Princes, the scene of the decisive return leg, which will be played in the capital on Wednesday 7 May. But before that, Les Rouge et Bleu will have to play a second consecutive away game, this time in Strasbourg, for Ligue 1 Matchday 32 on Saturday (17:00). The Parisians' big week is underway!