The match was always poised to serve as a gauge for Arsenal, as much as anything else. How would they fare against Paris Saint-Germain, one of the titans of the Champions League? The answer was resoundingly positive. On a night designed to bolster collective confidence for the greater challenges ahead, particularly those that will inevitably arise after the group phase concludes, Arsenal demonstrated their resilience in physical confrontations and a dynamic play that thrilled their home fans.
Kai Havertz opened the scoring with a commanding header, and when Bukayo Saka delivered a 35th-minute free-kick that snaked through a crowded PSG penalty area, past the partially sighted Gianluigi Donnarumma, Arsenal knew the game was theirs to lose. They navigated a few late scares; a PSG goal could have made things interesting. However, the overall impression was of PSG having too many touches and not enough cutting edge. Arsenal made the statement.
Mikel Arteta stuck with the same starting XI that had won against Leicester on Saturday, and the tactical battle was compelling. Arsenal fought with Havertz and Leandro Trossard at the forefront of their formation—each given the freedom to drop back—while it was evident from the start that Riccardo Calafiori aimed to push up and into central midfield from left-back. The result's significance was hard to gauge; it is difficult to see either team failing to advance, and the reimagined group stage's jeopardy remains unclear. The PSG ultras were in high spirits, creating an intense atmosphere.
Arsenal's supporters celebrated in the 20th minute. After the initial intricacies, it was a classic move with a traditional finish that broke the deadlock. Havertz rose high to meet Trossard’s chipped ball from the inside left before Donnarumma. It was a bold move from Havertz, risking injury as Donnarumma charged off his line. Luis Enrique had made a statement before the game by omitting Ousmane Dembélé from his PSG squad; the pair had clashed after last Friday’s win over Rennes. The manager accused Dembélé, likely his highest-profile player, of disrespecting the team, reinforcing the club's current message: no more Galacticos, less ego, more effort and unity. This decision undoubtedly weakened PSG.
PSG could point to a Nuno Mendes shot that grazed the outside of the far post and an Achraf Hakimi effort that David Raya managed to clear over his own crossbar. The first half otherwise belonged to Arsenal. They were resolute in showing why Luis Enrique had described them as the best team in Europe without the ball. Calafiori and Jurrien Timber won crucial one-on-ones against Hakimi and Bradley Barcola respectively; Gabriel Magalhães celebrated when he cleared the ball in front of Warren Zaïre-Emery. But it was Arsenal's final third play before the interval that truly shone. Saka had curled wide early on after a pass from Calafiori, while Havertz crossed dangerously from the byline, with no red shirt making the necessary run. Arsenal tightened their grip at 1-0, and it was another set piece that provided them with a cushion.
PSG were accused of not doing their homework when Saka delivered a low free-kick from the right. Arsenal players attacked the ball, blocking Donnarumma’s view; first Gabriel Martinelli, then Gabriel and Thomas Partey. It simply went all the way through and in. From a PSG perspective, it was painfully soft, and they were fortunate it did not get worse shortly afterwards, with Donnarumma blocking Trossard at close quarters. PSG needed Vitinha to control from in front of the back four; he had runners either side in Zaïre-Emery and João Neves. Vitinha’s awareness of his angles and options, often in tight spaces, is a joy to watch. More broadly, PSG showed their swagger, but they needed more than style.
Arsenal should have made it 3-0 early in the second half, with Martinelli and Havertz missing chances. Martinelli’s was the big one. It was a lovely one-touch move from right to left, starting with Saka, who was excellent from the outset—so explosive, so direct—and going through Trossard and Havertz. Martinelli was all alone but volleyed straight at Donnarumma. The goalkeeper would be grateful that Havertz did likewise with a downward header from Martinelli’s cross. Arteta introduced Mikel Merino as a substitute for a belated debut, the summer signing finally recovered from a shoulder injury, but PSG pressed forward in the closing stages. Arsenal seemed content to invite pressure, preserving their lead, and there were tense moments. Neves flicked a corner down and up against the crossbar, while Raya parried a risky shot from Lee Kang-in’s curler. Martinelli would be denied by Donnarumma once more, a fine save to his left, and PSG knew it would not be their night when a loose ball hit Calafiori’s hand, and referee Slavko Vincic ignored their penalty claims.
