Arsenal

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Football tactics writer Alex Keble has pinpointed four ways in which Mikel Arteta and Arsenal can try to overturn a 1-0 deficit in their Champions League semi-final against Paris St-Germain - here is the first:

For any pessimistic fans, some good news: the first thing Arsenal have to do can be filed under "more of the same". The final 70, that is, not the first 20.

PSG overwhelmed Arsenal in the first 20 minutes at Emirates Stadium, cutting through midfield like a knife through butter. They held 77% possession in that spell as wave after wave of attack pushed the hosts back.

Luis Enrique's initial setup flummoxed Arsenal's 4-4-2. Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves sat high, pinning Declan Rice and Mikel Merino, which left Ousmane Dembele free to drop off the front line and become the spare man in the middle.

Whenever Arsenal's two-man midfield looked to cover Dembele, there was always at least one of those two high eights free.

On Match of the Day, pundit Stephen Warnock explained how Arsenal's Bukayo Saka was breaking out of the 4-4-2 shape "too early" which opened up the left-hand side for PSG.

So Arteta changed the shape to a 4-2-3-1, dropping Martin Odegaard out of the front line and into midfield to track Vitinha.

Arsenal now had an extra body in the middle to cope with those intelligent rotations between Vitinha, Neves and Ruiz, which - coupled with the centre-backs moving more aggressively out to meet Dembele - stopped PSG from dominating.

Arsenal grew in confidence and, winning tackles in midfield, started to gain territory and get attackers on the ball. From minutes 21 to 95, Arsenal held 55% possession and out-shot PSG 10-7.

Thomas Partey's return should help them do that again, only better. He probably would have sniffed out the danger to prevent Dembele's winner last week, and ought to track the PSG midfielders more intelligently than Merino was able to.

But all eyes should be on the key battle of the game: Odegaard's man-marking job on Vitinha, the metronome and orchestrator of Enrique's fluid possession football.

Across the 'Big Five' leagues in Europe, Vitinha ranks second only to Bayern's Joshua Kimmich for both touches per 90 (117) and passes completed per 90 (98).

Stop Vitinha and you probably stop PSG.

Find out the other three ways and listen to live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live from 20:00 BST

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This match at Paris St-Germain is really important for Arsenal because there is a challenge that has been set.

Having not played to their absolute best at home and now trailing 1-0 going to Paris to play a side that many fancy to win the whole thing - it is a very, very tough game, but it is also a game that could bring huge reward.

I do not think it is necessarily their biggest game - because you could argue their biggest game was when they won the FA Cup final five years ago.

But, in terms of the more recent version of Arsenal, it is enormous because they know they are good enough to be able to make it to a Champions League final. And, if that is the case, the belief then to know they are good enough to be able to lift that trophy for the first time in their history.

Whether it is a make-or-break game for manager Mikel Arteta, I am less sure.

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If they do get knocked out, the sense of disappointment will be huge, because they will know they could - and arguably should - have done better. But if they get through, then it goes down as being one of the most memorable games in their history, because to come back from a deficit in European competition and make it to a Champions League final should never be taken for granted.

We are seeing some teams in different competitions not look great through the rounds but, as soon as they get the chance to be in the final, then it is anybody's game.

Arsenal are going into this second leg needing to show a level of professionalism and understanding that you are going to suffer, because you are playing away from home in a hostile environment and against top quality players.

If they win, they are walking off that field knowing they have got a Champions League final to get ready for.

If they do that, winning the second leg away from home, they will have done it the tough way. The belief will be absolutely through the roof and there will be no team in Europe they believe they cannot beat.

There is a lot riding on it. It is a big-pressure game.

But, I think Arteta believes in his players, believes in himself and believes they can make it to the final.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

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On this day in 2006, Thierry Henry scored a hat-trick to help Arsenal beat Wigan Athletic 4-2 in the final game at Highbury.

Arsene Wenger's side needed a win to qualify for the Champions League, so by no means was it a dead rubber.

Henry stole the show, like he so often did - ending with 116 goals at the old stadium, which is the most by a player at one Premier League ground.

Mikel Arteta will be hoping one of his forward players can produce something similar later when Arsenal face Paris St-Germain at Parc des Princes, looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit and book their place in the Champions League final.

It's the kind of night that demands a big performance, just like Henry produced when the stakes were high.

Can one of Arsenal's modern-day stars channel that spirit and make their own history?

Paris St-Germain take a one-goal lead into their Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal, but having lost three times to English sides in the competition this season, what precautions do the French champions need to take at Parc des Princes?

European football expert Julien Laurens tells The Football News Show that although the Gunners will need to play the perfect game to progress, PSG must guard against the complacency that crept in at Villa Park in the quarter-final against Aston Villa.

Watch The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Have you arrived in Paris yet or are you planning to watch the game elsewhere? Show us how you're preparing for what could be a very memorable night. And if you were Arteta, what would you be saying to the players in the dressing room? Send us your photos, stories and team talks here

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Arsenal supporter Laura Kirk, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast about the second leg of the Gunners' Champions League semi-final against Paris St-Germain:

"Before the Bournemouth game, I still thought we had a chance of turning it around. What bothers me is how we played on Saturday and thinking that a few days later we're going to automatically come out as a totally different team.

"One win in five, we've conceded a lot of goals at home as well - it doesn't leave me with a lot of realistic hope.

"However, you have to believe that Arsenal have something special in their locker somewhere. They found it against Real Madrid, and wherever that's been for the past couple of weeks, they need to find it again.

"My head says PSG are just too good, my heart says Arsenal could produce something incredible here, but I'm not that confident if I'm honest.

"They completely played us off the park for the first 20 minutes in the home leg. If Arsenal can get through the first half without conceding, I will start to believe there is something there. The absolute worst thing that could happen is, the same as last week, we concede early and I think the tie is over at that point.

"They just have so much quality. We were hoping Ousmane Dembele would be out injured but, from what I understand, he's going to be available. I'm expecting to see a very good PSG side and ultimately, if we don't go through, we probably will have been beaten by a side that's better than us.

"We'll need to see a much faster start tonight than last time - we can't give them a 20-minute head start."

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We asked how you are feeling before a huge night at Parc des Princes, which could see Arsenal book their spot in the Champions League final - if they manage to overturn a one-goal deficit against French giants Paris St-Germain.

Here are some of your replies:

Daya: Very nervous but trust the lads will soak up the pressure and deliver us the result. Faith in the process! Result - 3-1 to the Arsenal!

David: Our catastrophic fall in form, which has largely not been seen in the Champions League, oddly makes this second leg feel like a free hit. I want us to win this tournament, but getting dragged back into the 2025-26 qualification fight has weirdly returned some of the importance to a league most of us had given up on in February. So if we do lose this, demoralising though it will be, the stakes are still high in the league. Therefore, about Wednesday, I feel like we have nothing to lose.

John: The first leg was close and could have gone either way. The second leg will be the same but with one significant change: Thomas Partey in Arsenal's team. That could be a game-changer. In addition to allowing Declan Rice to become a number eight, Partey's long balls to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli could be the difference. Fingers crossed.

Webster: For Arsenal to get to the final, Mikel Arteta will need to formulate the best plan he has formulated yet as a manager, and his players will need to execute that plan flawlessly. This is indeed their truest Champions League test as they will have to come from behind in enemy territory. If they advance on Wednesday, Arsenal will be my odds-on favourites to win the trophy.

Mr Tee: Arsenal are not going to make it to the final. At this level, it is a matter of fine margins and the fact we did not buy a striker has cost us. The PSG game would have been won otherwise.

Have you arrived in Paris yet or are you planning to watch the game elsewhere? Show us how you're preparing for what could be a very memorable night. And if you were Arteta, what would you be saying to the players in the dressing room? Send us your photos, stories and team talks here

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Former Arsenal and England full-back Lee Dixon, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast about the Gunners' Champions League semi-final against Paris St-Germain:

"You don't get to finals, certainly in the Champions League, and not have a rough ride on the way there. This is probably the roughest they have got because PSG are an exceptional side. There are no weaknesses and they're in their home stadium.

"Apart from the Arsenal fans, everyone is expecting PSG playing at home to get one or two goals and [that would mean] Arsenal have got to score three. But it might not be the case and they've got to cling on to that chance.

"Playing against a team away from home sometimes works to your advantage. Mikel Arteta will be saying to them that they're capable of winning any game. And at least they know what they've got to do - they've got to win the game.

"If it gets anywhere close to Tuesday's game [between Inter Milan and Barcelona], we're in for a treat."

Listen to live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live from 20:00 BST

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Only two teams have reached the Champions League final having lost the first leg of their semi final at home, with Ajax overcoming Panathinaikos in 1995-96, and Tottenham doing the same against Ajax in 2018-19.

Arsenal have won their past four away games in the competition - however, they have never won five in a row on the road in Europe before.

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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Time stops for no man, as Kevin de Bruyne and Jamie Vardy are discovering right now.

Both are considered 'too old' for the teams they have graced for 10 and 13 years respectively. Both are arguably the most important - and maybe most-loved players - in their club's recent history. Both clearly have unfinished business as top players, even if Jamie is 38 years old and Kevin is 34 in June.

They had a few other things in common this week. First, they looked the most likely to score for their teams. Secondly, they both did.

The fire hasn't gone out for either player and both could doubtless still do some sort of limited, short-term strategic job for their teams going forward - but those ships have sailed.

Playing this well when they know they are leaving could be down to a number of reasons: professionalism and pride in their work is clearly on show.

Giving your best while still being paid considerable sums to turn out each week should be a given, but it isn't always.

There is also the consideration that, like other players nearing the end of their contracts, they are putting on a show for any prospective employees. If they 'downed tools', like some others have done to ensure they don't pick up any injuries, it wouldn't be a great look.

Vardy must be thinking that a top team in need of a natural scorer would be worth looking at him. Even if his role was as a substitute most weeks, he could come on when the defenders are tiring, space is opening up and desperation is kicking in.

With the chances Arsenal created this season, and them having no obvious natural scorer to add the final touch, would Vardy on their bench look silly or astute?

Arsenal took a chance on Raheem Sterling this season, which clearly hasn't worked, but would De Bruyne be a better bet, if they took a punt on him?

I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be a daft move, even if the Gunners have a few decent players in that area. Mikel Arteta knows Kevin, so you never know.

Vardy and De Bruyne might be on the way out, but both still have something to give. It might yet be closer to home than some people think, rather than the expected pension booster jobs in the Middle East or - dare I say it - the good old USA.

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Arsenal are considering another move for Paris St-Germain midfielder Lee Kang-in, 24, after failing to strike a deal for the South Korea international in January. (Sun, external)

West Ham and Ghana winger Mohammed Kudus, 24, is the subject of fresh interest from Arsenal. (Talksport, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice says the team have "full belief" that they can beat Paris St-Germain and reach the Champions League final.

Having lost the semi-final first leg at home, the Gunners travel to Paris knowing they will need to overturn a 1-0 deficit if they are to reach a first final in the competition in 19 years.

They face a tough test against the side that has already knocked fellow Premier League sides Liverpool and Aston Villa out of the competition.

"Us as a group of players know what we can achieve tomorrow night," Rice said.

"We can go out there and we can achieve something great for this club and that's what we want to do. We obviously know we're 1-0 down but we have full belief, full positivity that we're going to go out there and win tomorrow night.

"You need to have full belief. We certainly have that as a group. If we are the best versions of ourselves we know we can get to the final. You can't come to a semi-final without that belief.

"We're so close [to winning a trophy].

"We're in the semi-final now for the Champions League. The next step for us is to win trophies. I sense that we're close, but to get over the line you have to win that first one.

"Tomorrow is another step. We are a young team and if we want to take the next massive step we need to go through these nights.

"You're going to need a moment of magic to win a game, and as a team, we're going to need that."

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris St-Germain (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Arteta confirmed Jurrien Timber will be assessed on Tuesday to determine his availability for the game, while Riccardo Calafiori is "ready to play if we need him".

• On what his side needs to overturn the 1-0 first-leg deficit: "Huge energy. We are a win away from being in the Champions League final. We are in one of the most beautiful cities in the world against a great opponent. Doesn't get much better. We are here to make history, we have a big opportunity tomorrow. We bring a result that gives us so much clarity in what we need to do."

• He added: "A lot of learnings to take from the first leg and how small margins are between two teams. The result should have been different to that one so tomorrow is another opportunity to do that."

• On if it feels like his biggest game as manager: "One of the most beautiful for sure. One win away from being in the final, we cannot ask for anything else. Let's not do talking, let's do tomorrow on that pitch. Show our best, best version and win the game."

• The Arsenal boss said players need to "embrace and take on the game to make something special" if they are to progress. He added: "To get to final you have to do something exceptional throughout the tournament. We have done a lot of great things, but tomorrow in Paris we need to elevate it. To make history, we have opportunity to do it."

• On how close the Gunners are to winning a trophy: "We are going to try to this season. Winning trophies is about being in the right moment, in the right place. Liverpool have won the title with less points than we had in the last two seasons. So you have to be in the right moment, in the right place. Hopefully here we are in the right moment and place in Paris tomorrow and earn the right to be in the final."

• He feels the motivation "is within us" to get the result they need at the Parcdes Princes and added: "We need to use it – to channel that energy and emotion that we all have inside ourselves to deliver and perform at the best possible level tomorrow night and the level we need to reach that final."

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There is plenty riding on Arsenal's trip to Parc des Princes, so we asked you to describe your current emotions and predict whether or not Mikel Arteta's side will progress to the Champions League final.

Here are some of your replies:

David: Season-defining is an understatement to say the least. This is a test of the team and the manager's character. If they win, it will be the greatest victory for an Arsenal side in over 20 years. Should we fail, this season will be considered yet another mediocre effort by a team and manager that can't quite get over the line. Everything is crossed. Come on, you Gunners!

Kate: Mentality is everything. If we believe we can win, then we will win. The fans need to get behind them. Win or lose, we have had an amazing run. We can take lessons from this into next season, either way. Mikel should get Renee Slegers in to give the boys a pep talk. The women's team came from behind twice to make it to the final and the one-club mentality seems to be strong right now.

John: The main feeling for the game against PSG is trepidation. Last weekend's game just shows how fragile our defence is at the moment. Since Gabriel's injury, William Saliba's form has dropped and David Raya has become a liability when passing out. Coupled with Arteta's stubbornness, I can't see us being able to keep PSG out and taking the few chances we will be allowed. The season is just about over and I, for one, can't wait for it to be over.

Rob: It all depends on what Arsenal team turns up. The sweet, fast-flowing, attacking-minded masters or the 11 strangers wandering about who look like they have never kicked a football before. Fingers crossed for the first option.

Aquinas: I still have faith in this Arsenal team to overcome that one-goal deficit. However, they have to be clinical and defend well to have any chance of reaching the final.

Nigel: Usual feelings of anxiety, nervousness and trepidation. These feelings wouldn't normally be so forthcoming but it seems our clutch has gone and we can't kick-start into the first gear, let alone anything else. Our whole season seems to be written off now, and we haven't even started the second half of the semi-final yet. We are capable of magical moments and this is absolutely where we need to dig deep and find them.

Could the Champions League semi-final second leg at Paris St-Germain on Wednesday be the defining moment of Mikel Arteta's legacy at Arsenal?

Fans Alex Moneypenny and James Clark tell The Football News Show's Ben Croucher why this is "make or break" for the Gunners manager.

How are you feeling before the big night in Paris? Let us know here

Watch The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Laura Kirk-Francis
Fan writer

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Arsenal's home defeat by Bournemouth at the weekend marked the 10th time this season they have dropped points from a winning position.

Only one win in five Premier League matches is further indication that the wheels of this already faltering campaign are fully coming off. And the timing could not be worse given the season-defining Champions League semi-final second leg on Wednesday against Paris St-Germain.

Saturday's display was worrying on many levels, not least because it drags Arsenal firmly back into the scrap for Champions League qualification. Having suffered lengthy spells on the sidelines, Ben White had a torrid day, while the speed at which Bournemouth were able to transition showed their quality.

Even so, Arsenal were bullied all over the pitch.

Most worrying, for me, is the psychological fragility that has crept back into this Arsenal side.

One of the areas with the most improvement under Mikel Arteta is how Arsenal have faced up to and overcome the sides that have previously caused so much trouble. It has been nearly two whole seasons since Arsenal lost to a so-called 'big six' side.

And yet the second half against Bournemouth was a disturbing throwback to a dark era for Arsenal - one during which they got beaten 6-0 at Chelsea and conceded four goals inside 20 minutes at Liverpool in 2014.

In the context of where Arsenal are now, that might seem an overreaction. But there was a real sense of being second best everywhere on the pitch on Saturday.

Add in the fact that we went 1-0 up with a brilliantly worked goal by Declan Rice, there is an obvious lack of belief from both fans and players that a one-goal lead can be converted into three points.

Perhaps that might be the only reason to believe Arsenal can get a result on Wednesday. They cannot throw away a lead if they do not already have one.

How are you feeling before Wednesday's game - excited, nervous, fearful? And how should the Gunners approach the match in Paris? Have your say here

Find more from Laura Kirk-Francis at the Latte Firm podcast, external

An arguably season-defining game is on the horizon for Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final second leg - and we can imagine the nerves are setting in, as well as some excitement and anticipation.

There's a lot riding on this trip to Paris, so we'd like you to describe your emotions going into Wednesday night's game.

What approach do you want to see Mikel Arteta take? And what result do you think you are going to get?

Let us know your thoughts here