Latest news with #SlavkoVinčić
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Climate
- Washington Post
Nations League semifinal between Germany and Portugal delayed because of hail shower
MUNICH — Stormy weather caused a 10-minute delay to the kickoff time for the Nations League semifinal between Germany and Portugal on Wednesday. Germany goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen and reserve keepers Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel had to run for cover from a heavy hail shower as they warmed up, and referee Slavko Vinčić checked the field afterward to make sure Wednesday's game could go ahead, albeit with the slight delay.
CNN
01-05-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Paris Saint-Germain defeats Arsenal 1-0 in Champions League semifinal first leg
Update: Date: Title: Arsenal's big night ends in disappointment Content: All in all, that will go down as an incredibly frustrating night for Arsenal. There were some half-hearted boos aimed at referee Slavko Vinčić when he blew for full time, but Gunners fans will know their team didn't do nearly enough to win that game. It was a night that promised so much. It was the first time a Champions League semifinal had been played at the Emirates in 16 years and one of the biggest occasions in the history of Arsenal Football Club. Fans turned the volume up to 11 in the build-up to a game you could sense was something special to all involved in north London. But Ousmane Dembélé's early goal was the perfect antidote for Paris Saint-Germain to counteract a hostile crowd inside the Emirates. PSG impressively managed the game from then on, breaking up play with fouls or extended treatment for players who went down injured to ensure Arsenal could never find any real rhythm. Across the pitch, players were relentless in their pressing and hounding of the opposition. Vitinha and João Neves in particular barely allowed the Arsenal midfielders space to breathe. The Gunners are formidable opponents at home and were unbeaten in 11 Champions League games at the Emirates coming into this evening, including nine clean sheets. Just scoring a goal here in north London is difficult enough, much less winning a match. PSG did both after winning the first leg 1-0. Afterwards, Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique was keen to highlight just how far this tie is from being over. As it did on Tuesday in London, an early goal in the second leg in France could quickly alter the course of the tie. 'I think the match had different phases,' Enrique told reporters. 'At the start, there was an incredible atmosphere and impressive noise. It was deafening but we scored an early goal and that gave us a lot of confidence. 'Arsenal began to dominate more in the second half and were dangerous. The result is good. It could have been better, and it could have been worse,' he said. 'Everything can change with one goal. We lost the first leg against Liverpool at home and then went to Anfield and won.' There will be thousands of delighted Parisians heading back on the ferry or Eurostar over the next couple of days and after that performance, they will rightly be feeling confident of finishing the job. Arsenal, meanwhile, has plenty of work to do ahead of the return leg. Mikel Arteta's team struggled to break down PSG's defense and will need to find some solutions. Despite a disappointing and frustrating evening, Arteta was cool, calm and collected in his post-match press conference. The Arsenal boss frequently reiterated that he believed the margins between victory and defeat were small, and said he maintains full belief in his team turning it around. Just as he didn't get carried away after hammering Real Madrid 3-0, Arteta wasn't despondent after the defeat. 'My message will be exactly the same as it was after Real Madrid 3-0 at home,' Arteta said. 'We have to go to Paris and win the game, which we are capable of. I saw two great teams today and the margins are so small. 'This team (PSG) has beaten all of the English teams in the Champions League, you cannot dominate this team for 95 minutes,' he said. 'If you want to be in the Champions league final you have to do something special, and we'll have to do something special in Paris to get there.' The two sides will battle again in the return leg set for the Parc des Princes on May 7 with a place in the Champions League final at stake. Update: Date: Title: PSG players celebrate on the pitch after the win Content: PSG players celebrate a job well done in north London. They coped with a feverish atmosphere before the kickoff and quietened the home fans with such an early goal. PSG's own supporters were making noise non-stop and it was their voices being heard the most after full time. This tie is far from over, but it went just about as well as PSG could have realistically hoped. Speaking to CBS after the game, PSG star Achraf Hakimi said: 'Right now, we are a team […] we are all together, run for each other and are like a family.' The return leg is set for the Parc des Princes on May 7 with a place in the Champions League final at stake. Update: Date: Title: Arsenal legend Thierry Henry concedes that the Gunners lost to the better team Content: On the CBS post-game broadcast in the US, Arsenal legend Thierry Henry admitted that the better team won this match, as the French side held off the Gunners 1-0 in North London. But don't despair Arsenal fans: Henry acknowledged that the tie is far from over. Indeed, in the quarterfinal stage of this season's Champions League, Arsenal didn't just hold on to their first leg victory over champions Real Madrid, but also won the away leg at the Bernabéu Stadium. Yet the thought remains: What Arsenal would give for Henry in the prime of his career, as they try to lift the Champions League trophy for the first time. Update: Date: Title: Full time: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Content: And that's a wrap on this first leg tie. Arsenal applied some late pressure but it was nothing to trouble PSG, which holds onto its one goal advantage heading into the second leg in the French capital next week. That early goal from Ousmane Dembélé was a big blow for Arsenal which wasted several chances throughout the match. In truth, though, PSG was the better team and deserved the win. Stay tuned for all the post-match reaction. Final score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: Home is usually where the heart is for Arsenal Content: Arsenal's home record this season has been remarkably good: only three defeats, to Newcastle United in the League Cup semifinal first leg, a Premier League loss to London rivals West Ham United and this loss to PSG. The 1-0 home defeat may almost feel like the Gunners have got away with it ever so slightly, with the away leg still to come. And as we saw this past weekend, Arsenal's women overturned a home defeat to French opponents Lyon and advanced to the Champions League final after stunning OL in the second leg. Update: Date: Title: Arsenal are far from finished Content: The Gunners squandered precious points all too easily in the Premier League this season as Liverpool cruised to a record-equaling 20th top-flight title. But when it comes to the Champions League, Mikel Arteta's squad put nine goals past Eindhoven over two legs in the Round of 16, then another five past defending champions Real Madrid in the quarterfinals. They have goals in them and this tie is far from done. Update: Date: Title: PSG fans are making all the noise as we enter the final 5 minutes Content: Time is starting to run out for Arsenal, and fast. Frustration now seems to be the overriding emotion in the stands The only noise inside the stadium now is the unrelenting, rhythmic clapping and drumming from the PSG corner. Update: Date: Title: Huge let off for Arsenal as PSG misses two huge chances Content: That really should have been 2-0 to PSG. Substitute Bradley Barcola gets in behind after some quick play from the visitor but somehow drags his shot wide with just the goalkeeper to beat. Another substitute Gonçalo Ramos then hits the bar with another chance. Arsenal can't really afford to concede another one here. Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: Arsenal running out of steam as full time creeps closer Content: While Arsenal has been better in the second half, it's so far failed to find a way past PSG's defense. The energy doesn't quite seem to be there for the host anymore and PSG is very happy to pass the ball around with the clock ticking down. With just five minutes of added time left to play, it's now or never for Arsenal in this first leg. Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: The joy of six for PSG? Content: In five competitive meetings, Paris Saint-Germain has yet to get the better of Arsenal, including a defeat in the group stage this season. With minutes to play, the Parisiens are holding on to their slender lead and will be in good shape to progress to a second final this decade, though the second leg still needs to be negotiated next week. It could be sixth time lucky for PSG in this particular head-to-head match up. We shall see… Update: Date: Title: Arsenal fans sense can an equalizer coming Content: PSG manager Luis Enrique has just flung his arms out in frustration as a misplaced pass goes out for a throw in. Arsenal have dominated the opening 30 minutes of the second half, but so far, a lack of quality and some fine goalkeeping from Gianluigi Donnarumma has kept the Gunners off the scoresheet. Anticipation is building inside the Emirates with each passing Arsenal attack, and the fans can sense this is now the time to pounce. But PSG players are now regularly going down injured to try and break up the flow of the game, much to the frustration of the Arsenal fans. Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: PSG makes a change as game tempers down Content: It's been a frantic game but things have cooled off a little in the last five minutes which will suit PSG. The French side has also made a substitute with goalscorer Ousmane Dembélé coming off for Bradley Barcola. The 22-year-old is a simply brilliant player, possessing so much speed and talent, so Arsenal will need to be careful of his fresh legs. Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: Amazing save from PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma Content: A simply magical save from Gianluigi Donnarumma to deny Arsenal an equalizer. The Italian goalkeeper is a big man but managed to get down so quickly to divert Leandro Trossard's shot around the post. Arsenal fans can't believe their team isn't level. Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: VAR review sucks the life out of the Emirates Content: Wow. What a roller coaster few minutes these have been for Arsenal fans. The noise when Mikel Merino scored almost lifted the roof of the Emirates, producing a moment of intense catharsis after a painfully frustrating first half. An agonizing wait inside the stadium for a VAR review seemed to drag on for an age (how are VAR offside reviews still taking this long in 2025?) before the announcement that the goal had been disallowed sucked that newfound enthusiasm out of this place. Update: Date: Title: Heartbreak for Arsenal as goal is ruled out Content: The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has come to PSG's rescue. Mikel Merino thought he had scored but the midfielder was in an offside position as Declan Rice crossed the ball. It took a long time for VAR to determine the decision. Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: One big reason Arsenal shouldn't give up hope Content: On current form, Declan Rice has to be one of the best players in the world right now. Keep in mind, prior to the games against Real Madrid, he'd never before scored a free kick in his senior professional career. Then, in a matter of minutes, came two of the finest strikes you're likely to see in a long, long time. Rice's free kick just now was never intended to score but if he is given another chance, he may want to try. All season long, Arsenal has come up with creative ways to take set-pieces, which have resulted in a decent amount of goals across the current campaign. Alas for the Arsenal, the semi-automated technology showed that Merino had strayed offside. Nevertheless, the disallowed goal was the closest the home team has come to scoring, and this game is still in the balance. Update: Date: Title: Arsenal thinks it's found an equalizer Content: The second half has barely begun but Arsenal has already scored. Declan Rice floats in a teasing freekick and Mikel Merino glances in a header. Hang on though, VAR are looking at it… Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: Second half gets back underway Content: Arsenal kicks off the second half and will be hoping for a better performance. The referee isn't a popular man inside the stadium but the host needs to ignore what's happened before and focus on finding a goal. Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: Halftime: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Content: Neither team has had time to take a breath but it's somehow already halftime. The break comes at an awful time for Arsenal because it was starting to look threatening. PSG hold on to its lead, thanks to a strike from Ousmane Dembélé within four minutes of the match. The players will need this rest, and so will I… Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: Arsenal wastes its best chance to level the scores Content: What a chance that was for Arsenal. Gabriel Martinelli gets in behind the PSG defence and sprints clear through on goal. The Brazilian opens up his body and tries to bend his shot into the far post but it's brilliantly saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma. Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: PSG fans are having a party in north London Content: While Arsenal fans have been put through the wringer in these opening 40 minutes, PSG fans have been loving life over in their corner of the Emirates stadium. There has been near constant noise and scarf twirling since long before the kickoff, and so far their team has produced a performance worth singing about. There was a brief, nervous pause in the noise as Ødegaard lined up a free kick, but the drums and chanting started up again even louder once PSG had cleared the danger. Update: Date: Title: Drama inside the PSG penalty box Content: Arsenal fans thought they might have had a penalty but no such luck. Mikel Merino goes down as he sets himself to take a shot, but it was a brilliant tackle from PSG's João Neves. The referee, Slavko Vinčić, seemingly pointed to the penalty spot but he was in fact awarding PSG a free kick after Merino caught Neves. Arsenal is looking far stronger now and is creating some small half chances for itself. Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: Frustration begins to build inside the Emirates Content: It's fair to say referee Slavko Vinčić isn't endearing himself to this Arsenal crowd. There have been a few questionable free kicks awarded to PSG all over the pitch for some bitty fouls that have broken the game up, and this crowd is growing more and more frustrated with each passing whistle blast. A sarcastic cheer - likely loud enough to be heard across London - goes up when Arsenal is finally awarded a free kick. Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: PSG goes close to extending its lead Content: This game is still being played at a blistering speed but Arsenal is showing signs of being more relaxed. Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger is watching on from the stands and he'll know how careful his old team has to be against this PSG attack. Wenger was seen talking to Britain's prime minister Keir Starmer – a Gunners fan himself. Every time Arsenal go forward, it leaves empty spaces behind its defense, which PSG looks very keen on exploiting. Désiré Doué almost makes it 2-0 but David Raya gets down well to keep the shot out. Fabián Ruiz then hits the post with the rebound but he was offside anyway. Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: Remembering the 2006 Champions League final Content: I vividly recall the climax to the 2006 final in Paris. Arsenal were so close. The Gunners were just 14 minutes away from becoming champions of Europe for the first time, only to concede twice to Barcelona in four minutes. A devastating defeat for the Londoners but one that must surely now inspire and motivate future generations of Arsenal players to finally get over the line. Update: Date: Title: History repeating for Arsenal? Content: The Gunners haven't reached this stage of the Champions League since losing to Manchester United in 2009. The second leg of that semifinal saw United triumph 3-1 on the night (4-1 on aggregate) and the start of tonight's game seems eerily similar. Back in 2009, United raced out to a 0-2 lead within 11 minutes, courtesy of Park Ji-Sung and Cristiano Ronaldo. The early signs, 16 years on, are that Arsenal need to get a grip on proceedings if this tie is not going to run away from the home side. Update: Date: Title: PSG is looking far better in the early stages Content: The Arsenal players need to settle quickly before this gets any worse. Both sides are bidding to make history this season by winning their first Champions League trophy, but it's PSG that looks more comfortable with the responsibility. Defender Marquinhos just had a header easily saved by Arsenal's David Raya but the visitors are enjoying the better of the play. To add to Arsenal's nerves, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is positive he deserves a penalty after going down in the box. The referee is not interested, though. Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: Dembélé Despair for Arsenal Content: Luis Enrique has done an amazing job at PSG, proving there IS life after superstars like Mbappé, Messi and Neymar. Like Arsenal, PSG has never won this tournament. They look a far better team than the one that lost 2-0 to the Gunners late last year in the newly-launched league phase of this competition. Keep in mind, the Parisians only made it through in 15th place. According to our friends at Opta, Ousmane Dembélé had been involved in more attacking sequences of play than any other player in the UEFA Champions League this season, with 120. Now make that 121. That's 25 goals for Ousmane Dembélé in all competitions since the start of 2025. No player from the top five European leagues has managed more. Incroyable. Update: Date: Title: Arsenal fans rally behind their team after early PSG goal Content: Ousmane Dembélé's brilliant early strike stunned the Emirates Stadium into silence - but only for a moment. As the PSG fans in one corner celebrated, the home supporters lifted the noise inside the stadium once again to drown them out. Every tackle or foray forward is being met with a huge roar of approval, but you can sense the nerves in the air every time PSG begins an attack. Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: PSG takes a very early lead! Content: Wow, that didn't take long. Ousmane Dembélé has the visitors ahead with a brilliant finish. While the forward will take the credit, winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia did brilliantly to take on his man and whip a dangerous cross into the box. Dembélé still had a lot to do and he did it perfectly, sweeping his finish in off the post in the 4th minute. Score: Arsenal 0-1 PSG Update: Date: Title: Arsenal fans bringing the noise as the game gets underway Content: A rendition of 'North London forever' and 'Allez allez allez' really got the home fans going before kick off, and the atmosphere inside the Emirates is not letting up. It's fair to say this stadium doesn't have the reputation as the world's most intimidating arena but Arsenal fans are producing noise befitting of one of the biggest nights in the club's history. The fans are doing their part; now, over to the players. Score: 0-0 Update: Date: Title: Atmosphere has built inside the Emirates Content: The first chant of 'Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal!' comes from the stands as the home fans begin to drown out the boisterous away PSG support. There is an almost palpable electricity in the air as the crowd roars after each player in the starting XI is announced over the loudspeaker. Update: Date: Title: Brazil legend praises Luis Enrique for creating "winning mentality" Content: Under Luis Enrique, it's been a case of out with the old and in with the new at Paris Saint-Germain – a transformation that's brought about remarkable results. The big names of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar have given way to young, vibrant talent from the domestic French league and beyond. Attacking midfielder Désiré Doué has shone in both league and cup competitions, Portuguese João Neves has been a commanding presence in the heart of midfield, while the twinkle-toed winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has already made a big impact since his January arrival from Italy. It's a refreshing change in approach that has been welcomed by former Champions League winner and Brazil captain, Cafú. '(Luis Enrique has created) a winning mentality. A mentality in which everybody plays for each other,' he told CNN at the recent Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid. 'Everybody creates goals. Everybody plays. Everybody has fun. Everybody plays for one objective: to win the Champions League.' As for head coach Luis Enrique, Cafú is in no doubt that the Spaniard is the right man in charge to end the Parisian club's long wait for European football's most prized trophy. 'Luis Enrique is a fantastic person. He has his ideas, his tactics which he implements on the pitch and makes his players understand,' he says. '(Paris Saint-Germain) have what it take to reach the Champions League final.' Update: Date: Title: This Champions League semifinal first leg is underway Content: The Champions League anthem has been played, the teams have had their final words of encouragement and we are now underway at the Emirates Stadium. There was an almighty roar from those inside the arena as Ousmane Dembélé took the kickoff. PSG players are in their navy blue kit, while their opponents are in the classic red and white of Arsenal. Game on… Update: Date: Title: UEFA honor the memory of Pope Francis Content: A pre-match tribute to honor the life of Pope Francis was held before the opening kick – Latin America's first-ever Pontiff loved the beautiful game. From time to time, he played in goal as a youngster. He was a fan of his beloved San Lorenzo back in his homeland of Argentina. Pope Francis was a card-carrying member of San Lorenzo. The number on that card was 88235. Francis was 88 when he passed away on Easter Monday at 2:35 am Argentina time. Last weekend, San Lorenzo's players wore an image of Francis on their shirts, accompanied by the words 'Together for Eternity.' Update: Date: Title: How many Starboys can a team have? Content: The rapid rise of Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly has been a joy to watch this season, with nothing seemingly fazing the young man, as he has taken to the English Premier League with ease. And now, by being in Mikel Arteta's starting XI, at the tender age of 18 years and 215 days, the left back has just become the youngest Englishman and youngest Premier League player to ever appear in a Champions League semifinal. Update: Date: Title: The attacking talents are awesome, but don't forget about the great goalkeepers Content: Nobody wants to see a goalless draw in a Champions League semifinal but how can we not pay tribute to the two stoppers tonight? For PSG, Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has come up clutch on multiple occasions: He saved two of three penalties he faced in the shootout triumph at Anfield in the round of 16, before producing world class saves to deny Aston Villa in the frantic finish to the quarterfinal second leg at Villa Park earlier this month, preventing the match from going to extra-time. His opposite number, David Raya, has conceded just six goals in 11 Champions League matches this season and is one of Arsenal's most consistent performers. If they are both on top of their game tonight, and the match does end 0-0, well, you might just have to save this post as proof that we saw it coming. Update: Date: Title: Lineups announced ahead of semifinal clash Content: The squads have been announced and there are no major surprises. Arsenal fans will be happy to see Bukayo Saka in the team as he continues his return from injury. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been managing his minutes in recent weeks in the hope of getting his best player sharp for the biggest game this club has seen in years. For PSG, the attacking intent is there for all to see with the front three of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé set to give Arsenal's defense a tough test. Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Merino, Ødegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Trossard Kick off is now less than an hour away. PSG XI: Donnarumma, Mendes, Pacho, Marquinhos, Hakimi, Ruiz, Vitinha, Neves, Kvaratskhelia, Dembélé, Doué Update: Date: Title: What PSG manager Luis Enrique said ahead of the match Content: PSG manager Luis Enrique has a word of warning for any Arsenal fans feeling confident tonight after winning this fixture 2-0 in the group stages earlier this season. It was an incredibly assured victory that night for Arsenal – which was helped out by two errors from PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma – and one that was certainly an early statement about the Gunners' ambitions in this season's tournament. That game was part of a slow start that PSG endured in this season's competition, winning just one of its opening five group stage matches. However, PSG has gone from strength to strength since then and has become one of Europe's most exciting teams. No longer the team of the superstars – Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé all came and went without winning the Champions League – PSG is hopeful its team-based approach centered around hard work and selflessness can finally take it to the promised land. 'I saw the match [back in October] again. We're a much better team today,' Enrique said. 'We had a very intense group phase, with a lot of games that could have been finals. So I think that made things difficult because we were in a difficult position, but it has made us much stronger and we are more complete. 'These are Champions League semifinals, but they're still two games between two teams with the same goal. The key will be managing the pressure. PSG has never won the Champions League? Neither have Arsenal. 'We mustn't let that stop us from performing at the highest level, we have to keep that in mind but concentrate on what we have to do.' Update: Date: Title: Fun facts ahead of the first leg of Arsenal vs. PSG Content: Arsenal has never lost to PSG – winning twice and drawing three times against the French champion. Both Arsenal and PSG are bidding to win the Champions League for the first time. Both teams have previously reached the final of this competition once before. Arsenal lost 2-1 to Barcelona in 2006, while PSG lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich in 2020. PSG's Ousmane Dembelé is enjoying the best season of his career. His record in all competitions in 2024-25 is 31 goals and 10 assists in 43 games. Arsenal beat PSG earlier in this season's Champions League, running out comfortable 2-0 winners at the Emirates during the group stages thanks to goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka. This is the first time the Emirates has hosted a Champions League semifinal in 16 years. Arsenal lost 4-1 on aggregate to Manchester United in 2008-09. Arsenal is undefeated in its previous 11 Champions League matches at home, keeping an impressive nine clean sheets in the process. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta played for PSG, joining the French giant on an 18-month loan deal from Barcelona midway through the 2000-01 season. Update: Date: Title: What Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said ahead of the game Content: A lot has changed since Arsenal last featured in a Champions League semifinal. Barack Obama had not long been inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States; the iPhone 3G was the hottest mobile on the market; and 'Poker Face' by Lady Gaga was No. 1 on the US music charts. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was still playing for Everton the last time the Gunners reached this stage and the size of the occasion is certainly not lost on him. 'You sense the energy, the enthusiasm, that it's something unique,' he told reporters during his pre-match press conference. 'It's probably one of the biggest games that the Emirates has seen since we built it. We are making history. It's a beautiful story right now, but we want much more.' The last time Arsenal reached this stage of the competition it was beaten 4-1 on aggregate by Manchester United, including a chastening 3-1 defeat in the home leg at the Emirates. Arteta is confident that his players are ready to face what is one of the biggest nights in the club's history. 'We have to have the feeling that we have to hold [the players] back tomorrow to go on that pitch and express themselves,' he said. 'It's a moment now to say: 'OK, this is who we are, this is who we are as a team, this is who I am as an individual and I'm going to put my very best in there to make it happen.' 'Play with that mindset and let yourself go. Live the now, the present. This is where we are. We are so fortunate.' Update: Date: Title: What is the all-time head-to-head record between these two clubs? Content: The omens are good for Arsenal heading into Tuesday's game as the Gunners are yet to taste defeat in five matches against Paris Saint-Germain. These two clubs first met over two legs in the semifinals of the 1993-94 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, with Arsenal earning a 1-1 draw in Paris before winning the return leg at Highbury 1-0 to reach the final, where it would defeat Parma. Arsenal and PSG then shared the spoils over two matches during the 2016-17 Champions League group stages, drawing 1-1 at the Parc des Princes and 2-2 at the Emirates. The last time these sides met, during the group stages of this season's tournament, Arsenal earned a dominant 2-0 win in north London after two errors from PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. The Italian has clearly put that blip behind him and produced a number of stunning saves over the two legs against Liverpool and Aston Villa. Though Arsenal and PSG have already faced off in a European semifinal, Tuesday's game is by far the biggest between these two continental giants. Update: Date: Title: PSG player watch: Ousmane Dembéle Content: French winger Ousmane Dembéle is having a brilliant season and will likely lead the line for his side again. He already has seven goals in the Champions League and looks to be fulfilling some of that sublime potential he showed as a youngster. Now 27, Dembéle has matured and is excelling in his new forward role which makes up a very fluid PSG attack. He possesses a blistering pace that will certainly keep Arsenal's defenders on their toes. His battle against Arsenal defender William Saliba will be an interesting watch. Update: Date: Title: How PSG got to the Champions League semifinals Content: PSG might be flying high now but it initially struggled in the tournament earlier this season. In fact, the recently crowned French champion lost three of its first five matches – including a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in north London – before recovering some form in the latter gameweeks to secure a qualification playoff spot. It was then that things seemingly clicked for the Parisians as it thrashed fellow French side Brest 10-0 on aggregate to reach the Round of 16. Next up was Liverpool, who many considered the favorites for this year's title. PSG, though, was brilliant across both legs and totally deserved to win 2-0 on aggregate. In Arsenal, PSG now faces another difficult tie against another Premier League opponent. Update: Date: Title: Arsenal player watch: Bukayo Saka Content: Winger Bukayo Saka has undoubtedly earned his nickname of 'Starboy' – given to him by fans after his starring role for both club and country in recent years - and Arsenal fans will need him to shine bright again against PSG. The England international is undoubtedly his team's most potent attacking threat and his presence was sorely missed earlier this year when he sat out with an injury. But he's back now, and has been building back his match sharpness in recent weeks. He has five goals and two assists in the Champions League this season, but will be up against a formidable opponent in PSG's Nuno Mendes – the defender has shut out some world-class wingers so far this season, including Liverpool star Mohamed Salah in the Round of 16. The battle between the two could be decisive in this semifinal. Update: Date: Title: Can Arsenal win again without a striker? Content: Arsenal's injury woes have been well documented this season, none more so than in the attacking department. Some fans were furious that the club didn't bring in a recognized striker during the January transfer window after injuries to both its forwards, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. But Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had a plan all along. Mikel Merino, a versatile midfielder, has been asked to step up as a make-shift striker for the end of this season and he has proved more than good enough. The Spaniard has eight goals and five assists in all competitions so far this season, but he will not be leading the line against PSG. That's because Arsenal have a shortage of midfielders available today, so Merino slots back into a more familiar position with Leandro Trossard given the nod to start as striker. Update: Date: Title: How Arsenal got to the Champions League semifinals Content: After failing again to seriously compete for the Premier League title this year, the Champions League has offered Arsenal fans something to get excited about as we approach the business end of the season. The north London club breezed through the league stage, only dropping points in a 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan and in a draw against Atalanta. Then came a record-breaking result against PSV in the Round of 16, with Arsenal dismantling the Dutch side 7-1 in the first leg. The Gunners then followed it up with a simple 2-2 draw in the return leg, progressing as 9-2 winners. In truth, many Arsenal fans expected that to be as good as it got in this year's tournament with Real Madrid waiting for them in the quarterfinals. But two stunning free kicks from Declan Rice in the first leg put Arsenal 3-0 up, and Mikel Arteta's side prevented an upset in the return leg, winning 2-1 on the night. Up next is PSG, a team Arsenal beat 2-0 in the league stage back in October. Update: Date: Title: Déjà vu: How Arsenal beating a French opponent to reach a Champions League final has just happened Content: Any Arsenal fans looking for good omens ahead of the London club's most important match of the season – Tuesday's game against Paris Saint-Germain marking a return to the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2009 – need only look to this past weekend. Arsenal's women's team stunned French giant Olympique Lyon – the record eight-time Women's Champions League winner – by overturning a first-leg deficit to reach the final where the Gunners will face defending champion Barcelona Femení. Arsenal's women's team remains the only English side to win the tournament, with the landmark triumph occurring in 2007. A year earlier, Arsenal's men were denied in the final by Barça… but if the Gunners see off PSG over the next week and change, it could result in another Arsenal-Barcelona final. The theoretical matchup would also mean that both the men's and women's finals this season would feature the same two clubs. What's more, in déjà vu of a different kind, Arsenal has already beaten PSG in Champions League group phase play this season, a 2-0 home success on October 1, courtesy of first-half goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka. In somewhat of an odd coincidence, UEFA has even decided to appoint the same referee, Slovenian official Slavko Vinčić, to take charge of this first leg. When you consider that Arsenal has never lost a competitive match to PSG, everyone connected with the Gunners will be hoping, as they say in Paris, plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
Al-Ahram Weekly
16-04-2025
- Sport
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Live score: Inter v Bayern Munich (UEFA Champions League) - World
Ahram Online is providing live score coverage for today's UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second-leg match between Inter and Bayern Munich. Inter vs. Bayern Munich (2-1) Stay tuned as the match is due to start at 21:00 Cairo time (GMT+2). Venue: Giuseppe Meazza Stadium (San Siro), Milan (Italy) Referee: Slavko Vinčić (Slovenia) (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
