Why PSG pose the greatest european threat arsenal have faced in years

Just Arsenal News

·25 de abril de 2025

Why PSG pose the greatest european threat arsenal have faced in years

Any other year since 2011, Arsenal could take advantage of the pressure on PSG to win their first ever Champions League. Especially if the Gunners could gain an advantage in France, they could then capitalise on the fact that PSG’s manager would be under intense pressure and the squad would know they face scrutiny if they fail, regardless of domestic success.

The irony is that the one season the media have had fewer expectations, the campaign where fans have shown greater understanding, the owners are willing to be patient, and the club are more united on and off the pitch than they have been in decades, is the very reason they appear more likely than they have in a long time to end their European drought.

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Outside of the French capital, their supporters may seem spoilt and entitled. In recent years, the likes of Neymar, Messi and then Mbappe were booed for only collecting a title medal. Having the best talent in the world and dominating your league is a worst-case scenario that most sports teams would love to have. Yet since Qatar Sports Investment became majority owners, their ambition has been to become the biggest football institution in the world. Funded by the Qatari government, only lifting UEFA’s premier competition would be seen as success by some.

In the summer of 2022, Nasser Al Khelaifi announced a new action plan having accepted that his five-year mission statement had failed. The president decided that the Galactico model was not working. Fantastic individuals helped dominate Ligue 1, but a great team was needed to earn a first-ever European Cup.

It would take a strong coach to oversee the transition, especially because no matter how much all parties insisted they were prepared to go backwards to go forwards, one can never know if employers are truly willing to go through adversity. Luis Enrique, however, is a strong enough character to deal with most situations, including continuing to play Mbappe while his contract ran down, while also preparing for life without the greatest goal scorer in the team’s history. Anyone who understands what the Spaniard has endured in life will know he is not going to be stressed about rebuilding a young squad with the help of Luis Campos.

(Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images)

Les Parisiens showed more tolerance this season, which might be a huge factor in why their progress has been faster than expected. Arsenal and PSG faced each other in October but they are almost unrecognisable from the side we beat 2-0. Tactically, they were still a work in progress that night in North London, yet to find the confidence to do what they can now do. In the first phase of the Champions League, the quality of the youngsters at Les Parisiens was evident, but the consensus seemed to be that it was a couple of years too soon for this youthful group. The average age of their squad is under 25, Bacola is 22, and the likes of Doue and Warren Zaire-Emery are just 19.

After finishing 15th in the original table, PSG needed a playoff to advance to the last 16. The turning point may have been the Man City fixture. At 2-0 down, they were flirting with exiting the competition. Instead, this was the night they found their self-belief. Ousmane Dembele in particular has stepped out of the shadow now that he can be the main man. Is it a coincidence he suddenly scores 32 goals and provides 11 assists once Mbappe leaves the stage to him? It underlines the change in culture at the club that the work rate of a player like Vitinha is now celebrated.

Incredibly, Tuesday will be PSG’s sixth fixture against English opposition and their fifth visit to the UK in this tournament. It is a young team who are used to winning most weeks. With a 23-point lead over Marseille, it is already confirmed that they are champions of France again, they are in the Coupe de France final, and with four league fixtures remaining, they could go unbeaten, something Gooners know a thing or two about. If someone had offered their fans in pre-season the chance to retain their domestic treble, they would have bitten your hand off.

This was meant to be a transitional period at the Parc des Princes. A manager for once given empathy and time. No more fans turning on their own players. Perhaps even the first season since Nasser Al Khelaifi’s vision began that PSG can play knockout football at the head of UEFA’s table without being crippled by the fear of failure. There is zero consequence if they are knocked out in the semi-final. They might even embrace the other silverware added to the trophy cabinet. Which is why they are more dangerous than ever before.

Predictions peeps for the 1st leg?

Dan

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