Arsenal lose 0-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in Champions League first leg

Arsenal hosted French giants Paris Saint-Germain (“Paris”) in the first leg of the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League semi-finals. Just four minutes into the match, Paris’ Dembele scored to give the visitors the lead. Although Arsenal launched a number of fierce attacks throughout the match, they were unable to convert them into goals. In the end, Paris Saint-Germain beat Arsenal 1-0 away from home in London to take the lead in the two-legged knockout stage.

Arsenal have the better record but lose by one goal

Prior to this match, Arsenal had just knocked out La Liga giants Real Madrid in the last round of the Champions League and were considered by many fans to be the favorites to win the Champions League this season. In their last 5 matches, Arsenal have an unbeaten record of 3 wins and 2 draws, which is a very stable form.

On the other hand, Paris Saint-Germain’s recent form has been less than stellar. They have only won 2, drawn 1 and lost 2 of their last 5 matches. However, since Paris Saint-Germain clinched the Ligue 1 title early, they are now focusing all their attention on the Champions League, which may be the reason why they are able to perform well on the road.

Looking at the market value of the players, Arsenal’s entire squad is worth around €1.16 billion, while Paris Saint-Germain’s is worth €850 million. This is a clash of giants with a combined value of over €2 billion. According to a pre-match poll, over 60% of fans believe Arsenal can beat Paris at home.

Lightning breaks out in the opening minutes and Paris take an early lead

The game started slowly for both teams. Paris Saint-Germain controlled the tempo of the game by controlling the ball. In the 4th minute, Dembele won the ball back from midfield and organized the attack by passing the ball to the side. Kvaratskhelya played the ball back to the center of the box and Dembele, unchallenged by the defenders, took a direct shot that hit the post and ricocheted into the net. Dembele dropped to his knees in celebration after the thunderous goal, which gave Paris a 1-0 lead.

In the 16th minute of the match, Paris player Kvaratskhelya broke through with the ball on the left side of the box and was brought down by Arsenal defender Timberlake. However, the referee did not award a penalty, sparking controversy among fans and live commentators.

Paris beat Arsenal for the first time to end their unbeaten run

This win means a lot to Paris Saint-Germain. It’s the first time they’ve beaten Arsenal in a European match. In the previous 5 meetings, Paris drew 3, lost 2 and never won. Now the “curse” is finally broken.

In addition, Arsenal’s Champions League this season was 8 consecutive undefeated, this record was also ended by Paris. For Arsenal, this loss is a big blow, especially at home, making the promotion situation more complicated.

Historical data shows that it is difficult to advance if you lose your first match at home

According to the historical data of the Champions League, only two teams managed to advance to the final after losing the first leg of the semi-final at home: one was Ajax in the 1995/96 season and the other was Tottenham Hotspur in the 2018/19 season. Therefore, Arsenal will have to go all out in the second leg if they are to upset the odds.

Paris Saint-Germain, meanwhile, have been in excellent form away from home in the knockout stages of the Champions League, winning five of their last seven to equal their previous record of 16 away wins.

Goalkeeper Donnarumma will be the key man

Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Donnarumma was extremely impressive in this match, making at least five key saves to keep Arsenal at bay. This is the second time in his career that he has performed at such a high level in the Champions League. The last time was against Manchester City in 2021, when he made seven saves to keep a clean sheet.

Donnarumma’s heroics were one of the main reasons for Paris Saint-Germain’s victory, as he forced the Arsenal strikers to miss several chances to equalize.

Dembele is in hot form with some impressive statistics for a single season

Dembele has made 45 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain this season, scoring 33 goals and laying on 12 assists, averaging one goal per game. He has contributed 8 goals and 3 assists and has been involved in 11 goals in the Champions League, tying Mbappe’s record for the most Champions League goals scored by a Paris player in a single season.

In addition, his total number of goals in the Champions League knockout rounds has reached 9, placing him 4th on the list of Champions League knockout round goals scored by French players:

• Benzema: 34 goals.
• Mbappe: 24 goals.
• Henry: 12 goals.
• Dembele: 9 goals.
• Griezmann: 8 goals.
• Zidane: 8 goals.

It also shows that Dembele isn’t just scoring goals in the league, he’s just as much of a threat in high-intensity, high-level matches like the Champions League.

Match stats highlights at a glance

There are a few other notable stats from this game:

• Dembele’s goal came after Paris completed 26 consecutive passes, their most fluid attacking partnership in the Champions League since the 2003/04 season.
• Paris captain Marquinhos became the first player to make 75 clearances in the Champions League this season.
• At the age of 18 years and 215 days, Miles Lewis-Skelly became the youngest England player to appear in a Champions League semi-final.

Summary: Arsenal must go into the return leg with their backs against the wall.

Although Arsenal lost at home, they only lost by one goal and still have the potential to turn the game around. As long as they win the second leg, they still have a chance to reach the Champions League final.

However, it will be difficult for them as Paris Saint-Germain’s defense is solid, goalkeeper Donnarumma is in top form and stars like Dembele and Mbappe are at their peak.

This match will once again showcase the high level of play between Europe’s top clubs and give fans plenty to look forward to in the second round of the tournament. Can Arsenal stage a comeback on the road? Can Paris Saint-Germain hold on to their advantage to reach the final? The answer will be revealed in the future.