Mikel Arteta lauded Arsenal's burgeoning maturity following their decisive triumph over Paris Saint-Germain, which ignited their Champions League campaign. A header from Kai Havertz and a free-kick by the interim captain, Bukayo Saka, in the opening half propelled Arsenal to victory against the French titleholders. Summer acquisition Mikel Merino made his debut post-recovery from a shoulder injury.
The sole drawback for Arteta was an injury to Jurriën Timber, necessitating the Netherlands defender's substitution at halftime. Arteta confirmed Timber had "felt something muscular." However, Arsenal's robust defensive performance against PSG, who had scored in their previous 51 Champions League group-stage matches, ensured they preserved their clean sheet record after a goalless draw in their initial fixture at Atalanta.
"We are genuinely pleased as we faced one of the world's elite teams," Arteta remarked. "These European contests differ significantly from the Premier League, and we exhibited substantial maturity. We asserted our desired approach against top European sides, which I greatly appreciate." This victory propelled Arsenal into the top eight of the nascent Champions League standings, following their quarter-final appearance last season, where they were ousted by Bayern Munich.
Saka's goal marked the fourth in Arsenal's last six matches to originate from a set piece, following pivotal strikes against Tottenham, Manchester City, and Leicester. Despite a degree of fortune, attributed to a PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma error, Arteta commended his players' resilience in the second half. "We endured more than we should have," he noted. "The Champions League imposes distinct challenges, but I believe we managed them exceptionally well."
Havertz expressed his joy at becoming the first Arsenal player since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2019 to score in six consecutive home games. "I adore this stadium – I am profoundly grateful to play here and be part of this team," he said. "In the past, I wasn't keen on aerial duels, but now I relish them. Beating teams of this caliber provides a significant boost – last season's exit against Bayern was tough, but we evolved as a team."
PSG manager Luis Enrique characterized Arsenal as "one of the world's finest teams," adding: "From the outset, we knew they would press us, and we couldn't counter that. However, if you lose every duel, victory will elude you."
