Gabriel Jesus reportedly issued an ultimatum to Arsenal’s board, stating, “Either they sell him or I’ll leave. Our relationship is broken; I can’t play with him anymore.” His frustration stems from a clear scoring opportunity that was wasted by a £70 million Arsenal player during the team’s Champions League win. Interestingly, this player is neither Kai Havertz nor Gabriel Martinelli.
In a thrilling 2-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Tuesday night, Arsenal celebrated their first win of the 2024/25 Champions League campaign at the Emirates Stadium. The fans, excited to see their team return to European action, filled the stadium with energy, and the slick, wet pitch set the tone for a high-octane match.
Both teams enjoyed periods of possession, but Arsenal’s physical superiority over the smaller PSG players became evident as the match progressed. It was evenly contested until a crucial moment when Leandro Trossard’s sharp cross found Kai Havertz, who ghosted past PSG’s goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, to score with a header.
Donnarumma, once a rising star due to his Euro 2020 performance, has seen his form decline, and he was again at fault for Arsenal’s second goal. Bukayo Saka’s driven cross from the right eluded everyone, including Donnarumma, and nestled into the net.
Although Arsenal didn’t create a multitude of chances, they managed the game well. Their defense and midfield worked hard to neutralize PSG’s technically skilled side. Arsenal’s aggressive and adaptable defensive play made them dominant in one-on-one duels, limiting PSG’s attacking efforts.
In the second half, Mikel Merino made his debut, but PSG gained some momentum around the 60-minute mark. Despite this, Arsenal held firm, prioritizing protecting their lead.
The Gunners remained a threat on the counter-attack, testing Donnarumma multiple times, but the PSG goalkeeper and the crossbar denied them from extending their lead. PSG’s best chance came when Joao Neves hit the bar, but they couldn’t sustain their push for a comeback.
Arsenal struggled to find a third goal in the final stages but saw out the game without major issues, securing a significant win.
Player Ratings:
– David Raya (GK): 6.5/10 – Another clean sheet for Raya, who wasn’t heavily tested but made crucial saves against Hakimi and Lee Kang-in.
– Jurrien Timber (RB): 7.5/10 – A standout in the first half, almost earning Man of the Match honors before being substituted at halftime, hopefully not due to injury.
– William Saliba (CB): 8.5/10 – Saliba delivered an excellent performance, particularly in the second half, making vital clearances, including one that denied Kolo Muani.
– Gabriel (CB): 8/10– Gabriel was defensively solid, making critical tackles and blocks as Arsenal sat deeper in defense.
– Riccardo Calafiori (LB): 6/10 – Showed glimpses of promise but needs to manage his aggression better. He was caught out of position at times but also made key defensive contributions.
