Champions League: Arsenal and PSG Chase Euro Glory

Arsenal vs Paris Saint-Germain

We’re down to the final four of the 2025 Champions League and the Emirates Stadium in London is the place to be, when Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain take on Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.

With some of Europe’s biggest clubs crashing out early, Manchester City included, both the Gunners and PSG have a big chance of winning the tournament, though the latest Champions League 2025 betting odds make Hansi Flick’s Barcelona the title favourites. The Blaugrana won the Copa del Rey on Saturday night, beating Real Madrid as the first part of a treble; they are four points clear at the top of La Liga and meet Inter Milan in the other Champions League semi-final.

That won’t worry either of these two teams who are just one step away from having a serious tilt at the title, over 90 minutes. Arsenal come into this clash on the back of a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace while PSG, already Ligue 1 champions lost 3-1 at home to Nice. Now they enter a battle with so much more at stake.  

 

Talking Points

Bukayo back makes Arsenal better

Having been sidelined for much of the campaign Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka watched his team struggle to keep pace at the top of the Premier League and that race has now been run, with Liverpool soon to be crowned champions. But his return to the side in time for the Champions League run-in is a huge boost to the Gunners and he showed his worth, and inner steel, during Arsenal’s 2-1 win away to Real Madrid two weeks ago. Saka withstood an early crunching tackle from David Alaba and he shrugged off a barge from Anton Rudiger, after he had missed a penalty, to score the opener mid way through the second half, a goal which effectively ended the tie. Even in an injury ravaged campaign Saka has scored five Champions League goals and his trickery and pace will be a key component of Arsenal’s game on Tuesday.         

Midfield anchor Declan Rice made it four goals for the competition with two sublime free-kicks as the Gunners saw off Real Madrid in the first leg with a 3-0 win. Rice’s dead ball genius was one of the Champions League 2025 highlights of the tournament and, with an array of talent in the Gunners’ creative unit, PSG will be wary of giving away cheap free-kicks around the penalty area.     

 

Stop Hakimi to stop PSG

Luis Enrique’s PSG have played some of the finest football in Europe this season and they were at their best to take a 3-1 lead over Aston Villa in their quarter final first leg. Though the Villans fought back to make it 4-5 on aggregate the Parisiens did extend their lead through wing-back Achraf Hakimi to give the Premier League side a mountain to climb. The 26 year old Moroccan star has been at the Parc des Princes since 2021, scoring 17 goals in 107 appearances and his flexibility makes him PSG’s most influential player. He has made five assists in the competition this season and Ousmane Dembele, with seven goals, has been a key beneficiary. Right winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, transferred from Napoli in the January window, has settled well and links up with Hakimi, cutting inside when his wingback raids down the wing. The visitors will try to use their width as much as possible to get behind the Arsenal defence and they will play on the front foot for much of the game.  

But, as Aston Villa proved, with a 3-2 win in their quarter final second leg, PSG can be caught out, and Arsenal certainly have the players to do just that.            

 

History

One of these two clubs will have a chance to become Kings of Europe for the first time. Both have reached the final before but fell short as Arsenal were beaten by Barcelona in 2006 while Paris Saint-Germain lost to Bayern Munich in 2020.   

In five meetings PSG are yet to master the Gunners, with two draws and three defeats, the latest being a 2-0 loss at the Emirates back in October, with goals from Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz. 

With three wins and three draws from the last six games, Arsenal have been in better form than PSG who have won three, drawn one and lost two games in that time. In fact the Gunners are unbeaten in 12 and in six games at home. 

 

Betting Tip

Arsenal are at SBOTOP odds of 1.96 to make it through to the final, marginally outside the Parisiens at 1.88; but the Gunners are favourites to take a lead back to Paris.

Arteta’s team is at 2.07 to win the first leg, the Draw is at 3.11 with an away win at 3.06; all three outcomes have a decent case to make but I’m backing the hosts to have an edge at the half way stage.  

   

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