Arsenal and PSG go head-to-head on UCL Match Day 2.

2024-09-26

In a tantalizing UEFA Champions League encounter, Arsenal aim to secure their first tournament win this season against a Paris Saint-Germain side eager to break their winless streak against the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal

Arsenal narrowly avoided a potential setback to their title aspirations after wasting a two-goal lead at home against Leicester City. Luckily, Wilfred Ndidi's fortuitous own goal and Kai Havertz's late strike in stoppage time secured a 4-2 win for the Gunners.

Mikel Arteta's side remains unbeaten in the Premier League after six matches, with four wins and two draws, placing them in 3rd position with 14 points, just one point behind league leaders Liverpool. Arsenal will be aiming for their first UEFA Champions League win of the season against PSG, following an opening day goalless draw away at Atalanta.

The Gunners boast an unbeaten record in their four previous encounters with the Parisians in European competitions, tallying one win and three draws. The last home match against a French team ended in a remarkable 6-0 victory over Lens, the largest ever win by an English side against a French side in European competitions.

Havertz and Leandro Trossard, who both scored against Leicester, are expected to lead the attack in a 4-4-2 formation. On a less positive note, Arsenal's captain Martin Ødegaard is sidelined with an ankle injury, highlighting a lengthy injury list for the team.

Paris Saint Germain

PSG, who dropped points for the first time this season against Reims, bounced back with a 3-1 win over Rennes last Friday. The French side narrowly defeated Girona 1-0 in their opening Champions League fixture, courtesy of a late own goal by the opposition's goalkeeper, Paulo Gazzaniga [O.G. 90'].

Under Luís Enrique, PSG will aim to end a four-match winless run against Arsenal in Tuesday's fixture. The Parisians have played more games against Arsenal without winning [4] than against any other side in European competition.

The visitors have also lost each of their last away games against English sides in the UCL, with defeats to Manchester City and Newcastle United. PSG's 4-1 defeat to Newcastle in last season's UCL was their heaviest away loss to an English team in European competition.

However, Enrique will be confident, given his good UCL record against fellow Spanish managers, having beaten each of the previous five. Mikel Arteta becomes the sixth Spanish manager he faces in this context.

Bradley Barcola and Lee Kang-in, who both scored against Rennes, are expected to start in attack alongside Ousmane Dembélé in a 4-3-3 formation. The visitors have a long injury list that includes first-choice goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma (thigh).