Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has given his thoughts on the Gunners’ clash against Paris Saint-Germain and how they can book their place in the final.
PSG came out victorious in the first leg thanks to an early goal from Ousmane Dembele as the second leg at Parc des Princes looms this Wednesday.
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta will be aiming to lift their first ever Champions League trophy by overturning the deficit — and Wenger, who came close to winning it during his time, spoke about what his former side must do.
“What is interesting in the Champions League, when you go away and home, is that every time before you start the game in the second leg, you have a mental problem to resolve.
“The advantage for Arsenal is that the mental problem is easy. They have to go and play and win.
“The mental problem for PSG is: do we play to win this game, or do we play to protect our advantage and get them playing on the counter-attack, knowing you have to be very clear in your message to the team?
“As well, knowing that not everybody in the team will necessarily be aligned with you, because if they decide to protect their advantage, it’s a little bit against the DNA of the team.
“So Luis Enrique has already come out and said they have another game to win, and I believe, with the final in mind and you playing at home, it will be very difficult to have a passive attitude.”
PSG lost 2-0 to Arteta’s men in the league phase of this year’s competition back in October, and his side will be looking to copy that performance against the Ligue 1 champions, who look unstoppable at the moment.
