By convincingly defeating PSG, Arsenal has asserted its status as one of the strongest teams in this season’s Champions League.
At one point, PSG used its wealth to join the ranks of Europe’s elite, threatening the position of established clubs like Arsenal. However, the situation has now changed. PSG, in the post-Mbappe, Messi, and Neymar era, has become a mediocre team, while Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, has returned to the elite tier in Europe.
The match at the Emirates clearly highlighted the gap between the two teams. If Arsenal’s forwards had been more clinical, they could have won 4-0 or 5-0. While PSG enjoyed 65% possession, the reality was that they only passed the ball back and forth in midfield. In contrast, Arsenal, with less possession, was extremely dangerous in the final third, showcasing a difference in style between the two teams.
“Our opponent played with much greater intensity and won all the duels,” Luis Enrique admitted after the match. PSG seemed weaker without Ousmane Dembele, but Arsenal was too strong for PSG to use any excuses. “From the very first minute, we faced tremendous pressure from their aggression. Arsenal performed very well, and we couldn’t handle that level of pressure,” the proud PSG coach lamented about the superior opponent.
Before PSG, Arsenal scored from a set piece, with Bukayo Saka’s clever free-kick marking their sixth goal from dead ball situations in just nine matches of the 2024/25 season. The difference between Arsenal and PSG lies in one team sharpening its weapons while the other exposes its inherent weaknesses. PSG has now conceded five goals from set pieces in the Champions League since the start of last season, showing their inability to defend effectively.