Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final tie with Paris Saint-Germain is in the balance heading into the second leg at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.
PSG ran out 1-0 winners at the Emirates on Tuesday night, courtesy of a fourth-minute strike from Ousmane Dembele.
Thierry Henry felt Luis Enrique got the better of Mikel Arteta in N5, although the Gunners will be fired up to turn the scoreline around and reverse some of the narratives in Paris.
Bukayo Saka had a relatively subdued game in the first leg by his standards, but Arsenal’s talismanic figure will no doubt be champing at the bit to trump Nuno Mendes in this individual battle next time.
Bukayo Saka praises Nuno Mendes after Arsenal v PSG
A lot of the pre-match talk was about how Saka could get the better of Mendes and how significant this battle would be in determining the outcome of the match.
Saka ran Mendes ragged in the first game between the two sides this season in October.
However, the Portuguese arguably came out on top in the semi-final first leg, limiting the Arsenal talisman to few dangerous moments throughout the match.
Speaking to Sky Sports about the clash, the England international heaped praise on the left-back.
“Nah it was a good battle,” he said.
“He’s a top full-back and so quick as well, man. It was a good battle, I always enjoy those battles. I’m looking forward to going again next week.”
While Mendes dealt with Mohamed Salah in PSG’s clash with Liverpool, Saka has the physical capacity to dominate the defender in a way Salah doesn’t necessarily have in his locker.
The 23-year-old is primed for a magical moment in the second leg.
What Bukayo Saka said about PSG
Arsenal worked PSG out as the game went on, with the Gunners playing into their superior physicality after the opening 30 minutes.
If Arteta’s team do look to evade the Ligue 1 side’s press by going long and using their athleticism to impose themselves on Enrique’s team, then they stand a great chance of progressing.
“They have a good manager, they have top quality players, a lot of threat at the top end of the pitch,” he said.
“I think they keep the ball really well in midfield, and they try and make you run. I don’t think anyone likes to run, if I’m honest.
“100% [PSG have improved]. It was like a different team. I know they only changed two players from the line-up that they put out against us previously, but how much cohesion they have, how they flow, how they move the ball. They were a lot better. They impressed me a lot to be fair.
“I would say so [they’re the best team Arsenal have played this season].”
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