With matters settled in their domestic leagues, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain can give their complete focus to an intriguing UEFA Champions League semifinal.
Arsenal dropped too many points to remain in Premier League contention and Liverpool were confirmed as English champions when they hammered Tottenham on Sunday.
PSG are already Ligue 1 champions once again but suffered a surprise 3-1 defeat at home to Nice last Friday despite Luis Enrique sending out an XI similar to the one Arsenal can expect to face this week.
The two sides met during the league phase last October, with Arsenal assured 2-0 winners. However, star forward Ousmane Dembele missed that match for the Parisians and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s transformative mid-season arrival was still a couple of months away.
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Arsenal vs. PSG lineups, predicted starting 11, team news
Thomas Partey was booked during Arsenal’s 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu and misses this game through suspension.
With Jorginho set to miss the rest of the season through injury, Mikel Merino is likely to be redeployed to his natural position in central midfield.
Leandro Trossard is the favourite to come into the forward line, flanked by Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
Arsenal predicted lineup (4-3-3, right to left): Raya (GK) — Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly — Odegaard, Merino, Rice — Saka, Trossard, Martinelli
Injured: Merino (knock, doubt), Calafiori (knee), Gabriel (hamstring), Tomiyasu (knee), Jesus (knee), Jorginho (chest)
Suspended: Partey
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Luis Enrique has a clean bill of health but might have been given pause for thought by his team’s efforts against Nice.
The big decision revolves around who will join Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the forward line.
Desire Doue produced a spectacular performance in the first leg of the quarterfinal against Aston Villa, but for a potentially cagey away encounter, Bradley Barcola is the slight favourite to get the nod.
PSG predicted lineup (4-3-3, right to left): Donnarumma (GK) — Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes — Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Neves — Barcola, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia
Injured: None
Suspended: None
Arsenal vs. PSG live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this Champions League semifinal, first leg across selected areas of the world’s major regions:
