…”With all due respect, I think we are going to win the second leg”
Many supporters reacted as though the tie was dead and buried after the Gunners were beaten at home by Paris St-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final on Tuesday.
However, AljazirahNigeria Joel has this poser ; ” Should Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino’s claim give fans hope?
But, as Merino went on to explain, there are signs that the tie remains in the balance.
Manager Mikel Arteta was quick to make clear in his post-match news conference that it is only “half-time” before the second leg in Paris next Wednesday.
Arsenal could turn the tide around and reach their first Champions League final since 2006.
PSG dominated the early part of the match, had 75% possession in the opening 15 minutes and raced into a 1-0 lead from Ousmane Dembele’s fourth-minute strike.
But even though the Gunners were pinned back for what felt like large periods of the first half, they grew into the game.
Arteta said that he “corrected” an issue that was causing problems for his side during the first half and said that after that Arsenal did “much better”.
He is right that his team did do better, and, even though PSG had two good chances late on through Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos, Arsenal had chances of their own.
Gabriel Martinelli had a good opportunity inside the area saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma before half-time and Leandro Trossard forced the PSG goalkeeper into an excellent stop after the break
