Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are gearing up for a massive UEFA Champions League semifinal, with just 180 minutes separating them from a spot in the final.
The two sides already met earlier in the league phase, but PSG have shown real growth since then — and they did not have Ousmane Dembélé available for that first meeting.
Arsenal earned their spot in the semifinals with a 2-1 win over Real Madrid in the second leg, securing a 5-1 aggregate victory. PSG’s path was far more dramatic. A chaotic second leg against Aston Villa saw them narrowly edge their opponents 5-4 on aggregate.
Both teams come into this clash after some recent stumbles. PSG were held to a 1-1 draw by FC Nantes and then saw their unbeaten Ligue 1 run snapped with a shock loss to OGC Nice. Arsenal, on the other hand, had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.
Will Ousmane Dembélé make a difference?
While speaking to reporters on Monday, Vitinha discussed how much of a difference it made having Dembélé in the starting 11 this time against the Gunners.
“Dembélé is a vital player for us, an incredible player,” Vitinha said (h/t Culture PSG). “It’s always better to have him than not to have him. So I hope he can help us tomorrow, and we will do everything we can to help him… We have seen several times how he gives 100% in his matches, not just offensively but also defensively.
“It makes us want to help him, it makes us want to give even more. I think it’s an incredible form of leadership. Then, in the locker room and everything off the field, everyone knows him and finds him funny. There’s not a single player here who doesn’t like him. He’s incredible.”
