Arsenal’s ambitions of reaching their first Champions League final since 2006 suffered a significant setback on Tuesday night as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at home against Paris Saint-Germain.
The Gunners went behind early, thanks to a brilliant strike from Ousmane Dembele from just outside the box. PSG had further chances to extend their advantage, but Luis Enrique’s side settled for a narrow lead in the first leg of the semi-final in north London.
Toward the end of the match, Mikel Arteta displayed his frustration by pushing set-piece coach Nicolas Jover back to the bench after PSG were awarded a late free-kick. Jover had been arguing with the fourth official following a foul call on PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma by referee Slavko Vincic.
Vincic faced criticism from the home supporters, with several contentious decisions drawing loud boos at both half-time and full-time.
Despite the loss, Arsenal made a statement of resilience by playing Imagine Dragons’ “Believer” over the stadium PA system after the match. The Gunners now aim to become just the third club in Champions League history to overturn a first-leg home loss and reach the final.
Reflecting on the game, Arteta said: “This is only half-time. The message remains the same—just like it did against Real Madrid at home. We made one key adjustment after 15 or 20 minutes that shifted the game. To reach a Champions League final, you have to do something exceptional—and that’s what we must do.”
When asked about Arsenal’s level of control, he added: “It’s not possible to fully control a team of this caliber. They’ve beaten all the top English sides. You can’t dominate them—forget it. Where we can’t win outright, we must steer the match into our hands.”