A Mosquito Sting Brings PSG Closer to Munich

Once again, Paris Saint-Germain emerged victorious from a visit to England. They overturned a powerful Liverpool in the Champions League round of 16, withstood Aston Villa's siege in the quarter-finals, and delivered the first blow to Arsenal in the semi-finals. More than a blow, it was a sting from the Mosquito, Dembélé, who increased his prodigious records this season with an early goal that rewarded the French champion's excellent performance at London's Emirates Stadium, the same venue that not long ago overwhelmed the reigning European champions, Real Madrid.

PSG, under Luis Enrique, had a thrilling start, not only dominating possession at the end of the match but also finding the net early through the increasingly decisive Dembélé, who precisely struck with his left foot to the base of the post after a typical slalom by Kvaratskhelia down the left flank of the French attack.

The early strike knocked out the 'Gunners' and heightened Arteta's nervousness in his technical area. Initially, nothing went as the Basque coach expected. His team, primarily unsettled by Kvaratskhelia's audacity, accumulated fouls while chasing the shadows cast by PSG players. Every individual duel was won by the French side, capable of tripling their opponent's passes.

Arsenal, with barely any reaction after the first half-hour of the match, was spared a greater punishment thanks to Raya's reflexes against Doué's attempt. Also, the woodwork denied Kvaratskhelia a goal that the Georgian was earning through merit.

Only on the brink of halftime, with their backs against the wall, did Arsenal seem to awaken, claiming a penalty on Mikel Merino in an action insufficient to warrant such a decision. An acrobatic shot by Trossard and especially Martinelli's one-on-one, thwarted by Donnarumma, allowed a glimpse of the expected version of Madrid's conqueror in this Champions League before the break.

The 'Gunners' forward push continued after the restart, with a goal disallowed for Merino due to an offside preceding the action where the Navarrese imposed his aerial prowess. The first incident of the second half heralded a 'Gunners' surge, which PSG tried to contain, unable to prevent Trossard's cross-shot that added to Donnarumma's impressive record in the tournament.

It was logical that such a beginning, spiced by the 'Gunners' push through set-pieces, would lead to a phase of the match marked by calm. In this, PSG under Luis Enrique has also matured, capable of drastically reducing the tempo when it suited them. Much of this achievement was due to Vitinha, a high-calibre metronome who already controls matches of such magnitude at will.

They suffered a setback when Dembélé headed to the bench due to physical issues, but they kept Arsenal at bay with their precise execution of pressing. And when this measure failed, they had the fallback of Donnarumma's lock, who saved another attempt from the troublesome Saka and lately seems to be the goalkeeper who dazzled with the Italian national team at the multi-host Euro 2021.

PSG not only preserved a minimal yet valuable away advantage but also pushed Arsenal to the brink with two chances squandered by Barcola and Gonçalo Ramos, albeit in offside positions. The tie remains alive as it heads to the Parc des Princes, but Luis Enrique's team arrives in Paris a step ahead, both in score and in play.