Following their 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals in London last week, Luis Enrique`s Paris Saint-Germain side will look to secure passage to the final by achieving another significant result against Mikel Arteta`s team in Paris on Wednesday.
Regarding squad news, PSG welcomes back star player Ousmane Dembele for the Arsenal clash. The French winger has recovered from a hamstring issue sustained shortly after scoring the decisive goal in the first leg in London. Key players Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are anticipated to start, joining midfielders Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, and Joao Neves. Speaking before the second leg, PSG coach Luis Enrique highlighted the potential significance of the match, which could see the club reach only its second ever Champions League final, having lost their first in 2020 to Hansi Flick`s Bayern Munich.
Luis Enrique stated, “It`s been one of my objectives since joining the club: to provide our supporters with an appealing playing style. Our approach should instill pride in our fans and reflect core values. Ousmane Dembele is available for the match. He trained with us for two consecutive days.” However, when the official lineups were announced, Dembele was listed among the substitutes, suggesting he might not be ready for the full match duration.
Match Details and Betting Odds
- Date: Wednesday, May 7 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Parc des Princes — Paris, France
- Live Stream: Paramount+
- Odds: PSG +109; Draw +263; Arsenal +234
Arteta`s side faces more injury concerns than their opponents, with Jorginho, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Takehiro Tomiyasu all ruled out for Wednesday`s second leg. Riccardo Calafiori also remains unavailable due to a knee injury. A significant boost for Arsenal is the return of Thomas Partey, who missed the first leg through suspension. He is expected to join Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice in midfield, supporting a likely attacking trio of Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Martinelli. Here are the anticipated lineups:
Predicted Starting Lineups
PSG Predicted XI: Gianluigi Donnarumma; Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Joao Neves; Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Arsenal Predicted XI: David Raya; Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Myles Lewis-Skelly; Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino, Gabriel Martinelli
Adrian Whitmore