PSG secured a 1-0 victory over Arsenal in their Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday night and William Saliba has admitted that the Gunners suffered.
Ousmane Dembélé’s fourth minute goal proved to be the difference, as the French giants secured a 1-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium on a tense European night. The winger found just enough space to unleash a shot that beat Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, giving the visitors a crucial advantage in the first leg.
PSG should have recorded a good scoreline as they missed glorious chances. Bradley Barcola squandered a golden chance from close range, while Gonçalo Ramos rattled the crossbar with a thunderous strike.
Speaking to Canal+ after the final whistle, Saliba confessed that Arsenal had a difficult start and were fortunate not to have conceded more before they found their rhythm later in the match.
Ousmane Dembele of Paris Saint-Germain runs with the ball whilst under pressure from William Saliba during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final First Leg match. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
“We’re a bit disappointed to lose the first game, to concede a goal this early,” he said. “We should have done better. We suffered a lot in the first 20 minutes. They ate us. It’s still 1-0. We’ll need to show our character in the 2nd leg.”
While the first half clearly belonged to the visitors, the second 45 minutes saw a shift in momentum. Arsenal looked more composed on the ball and began to apply pressure, forcing PSG to defend deeper and rely more on counterattacks.
Saliba added: “It’s not over. We hope to win there. We need to take the positive, we can’t give up. It’s the Champions League. A lot can happen. We’ll need to show our character.”
Arsenal will now shift focus to their weekend Premier League clash against Bournemouth. With Liverpool already confirmed as the League winner, Mikel Arteta is likely to rest some first team players so they can be fresh for the second leg of the Champions League semi-final at the Parc des Princes on May 7.
