Champions League Preview: Without Dembele! Can PSG Escape Unscathed? Arsenal Aims for Full Points at Home

On October 2nd at 3:00 AM, the second round of the first stage of the 24/25 Champions League season kicks off, with one of the key matches being Arsenal hosting Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal brought in new signings like Calafiori, Merino, and Sterling during the summer transfer window and continued their upward trajectory from last season. After the first six rounds of the Premier League, they have four wins and two draws, remaining unbeaten and trailing league leaders Liverpool by just one point, with the same number of points as Manchester City. Particularly noteworthy is their previous strong showdown where, despite playing most of the game with one man down, Arsenal eventually drew 2-2 with Manchester City, leaving the Etihad Stadium unscathed. Although it was a pity to be equalized at the last minute, it also showcased the Gunners’ resilience and fighting spirit.

However, in the first round of the first stage of the Champions League, Arsenal’s start was not smooth, drawing 0-0 away to Serie A powerhouse Atalanta, which prevented them from securing all three points. For the now reformed Champions League, every match and every goal is crucial. To secure a top-eight spot and direct qualification, they need to win.

Paris Saint-Germain saw Mbappe join Real Madrid on a free transfer during the summer window, with the entire MNM trio departing. However, the Ligue 1 giants successively brought in new talents such as Douai, Neves, and Pacho, maintaining impressive combativeness. After the first six rounds of the league, they accumulated 16 points with five wins and one draw, scoring 20 goals and conceding only five, leading the table on goal difference over Monaco.

In the past, Arsenal were very offensive-minded, but this season they are more pragmatic, scoring only 12 goals in the first six rounds, the fewest among the top four Premier League teams. However, they conceded only five goals, the second-lowest in the Premier League, behind only Liverpool (two goals). Meanwhile, Arsenal are also a team that performs strongly at home, winning nine and drawing one in their last ten games across all competitions at the Emirates Stadium, scoring 26 goals and conceding only eight, keeping three clean sheets.

The away form of Paris Saint-Germain is not bad either, with six wins, three draws, and one loss in their last ten away games across all competitions, scoring 21 goals and conceding 10, but keeping only one clean sheet.

Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain have met infrequently in the past, only four times historically, twice in the Champions League and twice in the European Cup Winners’ Cup. Arsenal remain undefeated with one win and three draws, but their last victory was back in April 1994. Their most recent encounter dates back to the group stage of the 16/17 Champions League season, so there is little practical reference value.

Worth noting is that after drawing with Rennes in the previous round, Dembele had a verbal altercation with Enrique, resulting in his exclusion from the squad for this match. Considering Dembele scored four goals and provided three assists in his first seven games this season, averaging one goal contribution per game, his right-wing breakthroughs and passes are vital to PSG’s attack. His absence will inevitably impact the team.

Overall, the strength of Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain is relatively close, and who will emerge victorious depends on their performance on the day.

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