“One has to consider whether Arteta’s plea for the fans to generate a unique atmosphere was a good idea,” states Stephen Bradfield. “That should have been expected, but making such a call might have affected the players. There is a delicate balance between motivation and excessive motivation. It appears Arsenal have allowed their emotions to override their judgment so far.”
This raises an intriguing idea. I believed that Real Madrid’s main issue in the second leg against Arsenal was their heightened emotions. Arsenal hasn’t exhibited that level of tension tonight, but they certainly haven’t maintained a level-headed approach.
Half time: Arsenal 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain
The halftime whistle is greeted by jeers, which come across as a bit childish. All fan bases exhibit this behavior; it’s not exclusive to Arsenal. Referee Slavko Vincic has made a few mistakes, but they have all been relatively inconsequential, and we witnessed in the Copa del Rey final how harmful it can be to propagate misleading narratives about the official.
Moving on to the match. Moments have been chaotic at times, yet always engaging. PSG began with a commanding presence and quickly took the lead with a goal from Ousmane Dembele. For the first thirty minutes, Arsenal looked disorganized and could have fallen 2-0 behind, if not for David Raya’s brilliant save to deny Desire Doue.
The atmosphere shifted when Bukayo Saka began showcasing his infectious talent, and Arsenal dominated as the first half neared its end. Their most promising opportunity came to Gabriel Martinelli, who forced an excellent save from Gianluigi Donnarumma after a superb run from Myles Lewis-Skelly.
45 min: Donnarumma makes a crucial save. Lewis-Skelly dashes thrillingly through the middle, evades Hakimi, and sends a superb pass inside Marquinhos to set Martinelli up for a goal. He positions himself for a classic Thierry Henry finish, and Donnarumma leaps to his left to deflect it away. An outstanding save.