New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) The road to Munich is at its final stop with the UEFA Champions League semi-finals beginning as Arsenal play host to Paris Saint Germain at the Emirates Stadium and Inter Milan travelling to Estadi Olímpic Lluis Companys to take on FC Barcelona in their respective first leg fixtures.
Despite the loss of Kylan Mbappe, PSG clinched their fourth successive Ligue 1 title with six games to play thanks to a 2-1 win against Le Havre 10 days ago. With the French title in the bag, the only question left was whether they could complete a first-ever undefeated top-flight campaign, but the weekend brought a 3-1 loss at home to Lyon to taste defeat.
They’re still 20 points clear of Marseille in second and on track for a famous treble as they have also reached the final of the French Cup where they will meet Reims, but while the setback against Nice was their only domestic loss of the campaign, they have been beaten five times in the Champions League despite making the semis.
The two sides had met previously in the group stage at the same venue of Wednesday’s clash where the Gunners won 2-0.
Mikel Arteta, who played for both sides during his playing days, pulled off what many seemed to be impossible. He led Arsenal to a massive 5-1 win over defending champions Real Madrid in the quarter-final. That win was much more significant in the larger scheme of things as it was the Gunners’ first big knockout victory since returning to Europe’s premier competition in 2024, where they were eliminated by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.
Although Liverpool sealed the Premier League title on Sunday, confirming Arsenal’s drought extends to 21 years, the Arteta led side will be hoping to seal a spot in the final at the Allianz Arena and lift the trophy for the first time in club history.
While the first semi-final of the tournament promises fireworks, the second game however will see two sides with very different approaches to the game.
Barcelona are the top scorers in the competition. Flick’s men have racked up a staggering 37 goals in 12 matches, a jaw-dropping average of 3.08 goals per game. That’s six more than both Dortmund and Bayern, who are tied in second place with 31 goals and both German sides are already out of the tournament.
But that doesn’t mean Hansi Flick’s side should expect a walkover. Inter boast the tightest defence in the Champions League. In their 12 matches, they’ve conceded just five goals – a number that highlights discipline, organisation and rock-solid back-line resilience.
The semi-final couldn’t come at a better time for Barca. Fresh off lifting their second trophy of the season, with a 3-2 win over Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, confidence is sky-high in the Blaugrana camp. Over in Milan, the mood is more sombre. A bruising 3-0 defeat in the return leg of the Coppa Italia semis has cast a shadow over their week.
Arsenal vs Paris Saint Germain will take place at the Emirates Stadium in London on Wednesday at 12:30 am IST.
FC Barcelona vs Inter Milan will take place at the Estadi Olímpic Lluis Companys in Barcelona on Thursday at 12:30 am IST.
All UEFA Champions League matches are broadcasted live on Sony Sports Network and live streamed on Sony Liv.
–IANS
aaa/ab
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by BhaskarLive.in and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of BhaskarLive.in We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, BhaskarLive.in takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.
