“Ousmane Dembélé silences the Emirates with his 25th goal of 2025! PSG take a 1-0 lead into the second leg—but shoutout to Donnarumma Merci, who pulled off world-class saves to keep Arsenal at bay.

Arsenal will head to Paris next week needing to overturn a one-goal deficit after a disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. Despite a thunderous pre-match atmosphere at the Emirates—reflecting the club’s return to the final four of Europe’s top competition for the first time in 16 years—it was Ousmane Dembele who stole the spotlight with an early goal that silenced the crowd.

The French winger, in red-hot form this season, struck just four minutes into the match, coolly finishing past David Raya to net his 25th goal of 2025. It was a dagger to Arsenal’s momentum and a dream start for PSG, who have grown into serious contenders under manager Luis Enrique.

Arsenal looked shaken by the early setback but gradually regained composure as the half progressed. Martin Ødegaard tried to dictate play from midfield, while Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli probed down the wings. Yet, the Gunners struggled to break through a disciplined PSG backline, and when they did, Gianluigi Donnarumma stood tall—denying Arsenal on two crucial occasions with top-class reflexes.

The London side dominated possession in phases but couldn’t make it count in front of goal. Gabriel Jesus, introduced in the second half, added urgency to the attack, but clear chances were rare. PSG, meanwhile, were content to soak up pressure and strike on the counter. They nearly doubled their advantage late in the game, but Bradley Barcola and Gonçalo Ramos missed two clear-cut chances that could have shifted the entire tie further out of Arsenal’s reach.

For Mikel Arteta, this result is familiar territory. Arsenal also lost the first leg of their quarter-final against Real Madrid but bounced back spectacularly in the return fixture. With that experience fresh in their minds, the Gunners will not feel defeated—but they will know the margin for error in Paris is razor-thin.

The second leg at the Parc des Princes promises to be a high-stakes affair. Arsenal will need to channel their attacking best while staying cautious of PSG’s deadly counterattack. Dembélé’s early goal may have given the French side the edge, but with 90 minutes left to play and a place in the final on the line, everything is still to fight for.

Paris awaits—and so does Arsenal’s moment of truth.