Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are gearing up for a huge UEFA Champions League semifinal, with just 180 minutes standing between them and a spot in the final. The two sides already faced off earlier in the league phase, but PSG have made some clear improvements since then.
The Gunners booked their place in the semis with a strong 2-1 win over Real Madrid in the second leg, capping off an impressive 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 semifinal after a few bumps in the road. PSG were held to a 1-1 draw by FC Nantes and then saw their unbeaten run in Ligue 1 end with a surprising loss to OGC Nice. Arsenal, meanwhile, played to a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.
How do PSG and Real Madrid differ?
On Monday, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta spoke to the media and noted the differences he sees between PSG and Real Madrid to help his side prepare for the tie against the Ligue 1 side.
“Very different opposition,” Arteta said (h/t Arsenal). “I think it’s a team that is very well worked with a lot of detail, with a lot of attention to a lot of things and understanding why certain things happen in the game. Of course, they have the individual talent that we have. If not, we wouldn’t be here.”
