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Arsenal need something special in Paris, says hopeful Arteta

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacts during their Uefa Champions League semi-final first leg tie against Paris Saint Germain at the Emirates Stadium in London, Britain on April 29, 2025.

Photo credit: Dylan Martinez | Reuters

By  Reuters

What you need to know:

  • Mikel Merino had a second-half header disallowed for offside and PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made several fine stops as the French champions headed home with a slender advantage for next week's decider in the French capital.
  • "We're at halftime. Halftime and my message will be exactly the same as it was against Real Madrid after we won 3-0 at home," Arteta, who spent a short spell on loan at PSG during his playing career, told reporters.

London

Mikel Arteta said his Arsenal side must do something special next week to reach the Champions League final after a 1-0 defeat by Paris St Germain in the semi-final first leg at home on Tuesday.

Arsenal were outplayed in the opening 25 minutes after Ousmane Dembele struck early on for the slick visitors and while the hosts improved they were unable to reply.

Related

Mikel Merino had a second-half header disallowed for offside and PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made several fine stops as the French champions headed home with a slender advantage for next week's decider in the French capital.

"We're at halftime. Halftime and my message will be exactly the same as it was against Real Madrid after we won 3-0 at home," Arteta, who spent a short spell on loan at PSG during his playing career, told reporters.

"We have to go to Paris and win the game. We are more than capable of doing it. I saw two very good teams, but the margins are so small. They had efficiency in front of the goal.

"The keeper as well made a difference to see the result that we've seen tonight. You want to be in the Champions League final, you have to do something special, and we're going to have to do something special in Paris."

Arsenal were playing in their first semi-final since losing to Manchester United in 2009 and are bidding to reach the final for only the second time, having lost in 2006 to Barcelona.

After their Premier League title challenge faded, failure to overturn the deficit next week will leave Arsenal still without a trophy since Arteta won the FA Cup in 2020.

Asked if the tie was still 50-50, Arteta said: "I don't know the percentage, but we have a lot of chances to be in the final. You have to do something special in the competition and the time to do it is going to be in Paris."