Martin Odegaard has called on his Arsenal teammates to remain united as they head into one of the club’s biggest matches in years — the Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
After a frustrating 1-0 defeat in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal face a tall order at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday. The Gunners must overturn the narrow deficit to reach only their second Champions League final in club history.
The loss came courtesy of a goal by Ousmane Dembele, putting pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side to deliver a memorable performance in Paris.
PSG, already responsible for knocking out Premier League heavyweights Liverpool and Aston Villa in earlier rounds, are on course to claim another English victim. They also beat Manchester City during the group stage, underscoring their formidable form this season.
Arsenal’s build-up to the second leg has been far from ideal. A 2-1 loss at home to Bournemouth over the weekend added to the growing concerns surrounding the team’s form.
Arteta admitted the squad is carrying “rage and anger” after consecutive defeats, emotions they hope to channel into a strong response in the French capital.
Captain Martin Odegaard noted the importance of maintaining focus and unity within the squad.
“We’re disappointed now, but we have to move on and be strong and stick together and prepare for a massive game,” he said. “We know what we’re playing for. We have to stick together and create energy and be ready.”
Arteta made only two changes against Bournemouth, a decision that drew some criticism given the physical demands of back-to-back high-stakes matches. Defender Jurrien Timber remains a doubt for the PSG game as he undergoes a late fitness test.
While Arsenal still need two wins from their last three Premier League games to guarantee Champions League qualification for next season, all attention is firmly on the current campaign.
The team is desperate to end a long trophy drought — their last major silverware was the FA Cup in 2020.
Earlier in this European run, Arsenal impressed by eliminating reigning champions Real Madrid with a commanding 5-1 aggregate win. But the club’s European track record also includes painful memories, with losses in the 2000 UEFA Cup final, the 2006 Champions League final, and the 2019 Europa League final.
The last time Arsenal won a European trophy was back in 1994 when Alan Smith’s goal secured the Cup Winners’ Cup. That historic success came after beating PSG in the semi-finals, offering a small dose of inspiration for this week’s challenge.
“What we have created now is a lot of rage, anger, frustration and a bad feeling in the tummy,” said Arteta. “So make sure we use that for Wednesday to have a massive performance in Paris, win the game and be in the final.”
