UEFA Champions League – day 1: Paris Saint-Germain–Arsenal
Arsenal travels to Paris for the first match of the Champions League to face the French champions. Paris Saint-Germain have claimed at numerous times their desire to reach win the Champions League but they failed three times in a row at the quarterfinal stage. They consider Arsenal a good test after a slow star in Ligue 1. However Wenger and his team thinks they can make some noise in Europe this year as the coach develops:
“I think we have a better chance [in Europe], yes. It’s an important game, but I don’t think it goes beyond two good sides playing against each other. There’s no symbolism to it, no symbolic meaning to this match. We just want to pick up the three points.
I was used to playing with my younger squads when you build a stadium because you don’t have the resources. Now I have a team with more experienced players. The squad is between 24 and 30, basically. That’s where you have a good combination of physical strength and experience. But we want to keep giving chances to young players and get the mixture right. I say that with Hector sitting next to me!”
On PSG‘s current state:
“They will be continue to be the dominant team in France but they lost more than a player with Ibrahimovic. He was the leader, the captain, a charismatic carrier of the ambition of the club and it’s always difficult to measure when you lose a player of that stature, how big the damage is. At the moment they have also changed managers so they are trying to find their feet at the moment.”
Coach PSG Emery previews the battle:
“I expect a great game, a great battle. I hope that we’ll put in a good performance, play well against a great team that will try to play to its strengths: possession and good defense. We work to improve. I have faith. I know the players and team well.
Today, we have the opportunity to do better. Everyone is very motivated for this match. We hope to enjoy a good competition, starting on today against Arsenal. Arsenal remain our biggest rival. They are a big club with a great coach and great players. This is an opportunity for us to work hard and experience a great football moment.”
