Key events
That’s all for our live coverage of a frustrating night for Arsenal. Thanks as always for your company and emails – goodnight.
Mikel Arteta’s verdict
We’re disappointed with the result. We put so much into the game. In the first 10-15 minutes we struggled to get momentum and dominate the game the way we wanted; we were very inefficient in where we won the ball and that caused us a few issues. But after that the team were better and better and better. It’s disappointing not to get a draw at least.
[On the 26 passes that led to PSG’s goal] Credit to them because they get off from a situation that is completely closed and on their weak side. They bring the No9 very very far from the reference of your central defenders, and after that a lot of things still have to happen for them to score. They were very clinical. You have to recognise the talent of the opposition.
[On the disallowed goal] That would have been a great time to score. It was millimetres offside, their keeper made two brilliant saves. Those are the margins at this level.
It’s half-time and we have a big chance to be in the final.
Vitinha gives the Paris Saint-Germain view
It was a great night. I think it was a very, very good performance. We controlled the game with the ball, and when we had to adapt to the circumstances of the game we did it.
[Donnarumma] made some great saves but the team was the key. We could have scored more but we are happy with 1-0.
This is not over. We have to play a great game in the second leg in Paris.
David Raya’s reaction
They started very quick and scored the goal. But after the first 15-20 minutes I thought we dominated most of the game, we created the chances and Donnarumma made some brilliant saves. It’s only half-time and we’ll take the positives from tonight.
I’ve not seen the disallowed goal. I think we needed that lift. But we showed for the last 70 minutes that we can win against any team. We’ll go to Paris next week to win the game.
[Did you miss Thomas Partey?] We know how important he is but we have good depth in midfield and Declan played as a No6. I think he had a great game.
We’ll try to approach the game the same way. I thought we played really, really well. They had their chances too but that’s football. Let’s go to Paris and win the game.
Read David Hytner’s match report
Serial Champions League-winner Clarence Seedorf gives his verdict on Amazon Prime
Winning some matches is one thing; winning the Champions League is another. I think the fear of winning kicked in today. I’m an Arsenal fan, in terms of how they’ve played over the years, but the thing I’ve always said is that they need a shift in mentality to elevate themselves.
Today I saw some elements … Actually, PSG did what I expected Arsenal to do: knowing when to press high, go low and just sit back and wait for the opponent to force a pass, then counter-attack. This is how you have to play in the Champions League and I didn’t see that at all from Arsenal.
This might free them up next week. They have nothing to lose.
Full time: Arsenal 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain
Reality bites. Arsenal need to produce one of the greatest performances in the club’s history if they are to reach the Champions League final. They were outclassed at the Emirates by a fabulous PSG side, who should probably have added to Ousmane Dembele’s fourth-minute goal.
Arsenal had their moments – Gianluigi Donnarumma made two brilliant saves and Mikel Merino has a goal ruled out after a three-minute offside check – but they were nowhere near their best. Perversely, that might be the positive they take from this game. Arsenal will surely play better in Paris next week; if they do, they still have a chance. But right here, right now, PSG look the best team in the Europe.
90+5 min A free-kick is given for a foul by White on Donnarumma and Mikel Arteta has to usher hit set-piece coach away from the fourth official.
90+5 min One last corner for Arsenal…
90+4 min I’m not sure Arsenal have won a European tie after losing the first leg at home. There was a famous semi-final win in Turin in 1979-80 when they were effectively half a goal down after a 1-1 draw at Highbury. There were going out on away goals until the late Paul Vaessen scored a dramatic winner.
90+3 min Martinelli shoots wildly over the bar after good play from Nwaneri. The referee played the advantage after Rice was fouled 22 yards from goal; Arsenal would have preferred the free-kick.
90 min: Arsenal substitution Ethan Nwaneri replaces Martin Odegaard, who had a really frustrating night.
There will be five minutes of added time.
89 min: PSG substitution Warren Zaire-Emery replaces Joao Neves.
88 min Rice smashes a hopeful free-kick that hits Barcola in the six-yard box and ricochets to safety for PSG.
87 min Martinelli is fouled just outside the area on the left by Hakimi. Rice is over the free-kick, Odegaard is conducting the crowd…
Ramos hits the bar!
85 min Another let-off for Arsenal. Ramos makes a perfectly timed run in behind the defence, onto a long ball forward, and toebungs a shot that beats Raya and clatters the top of the bar.
Great chance for Barcola!
84 min PSG should be 2-0 up and halfway to Munich. After another textbook slow-slow-quick move, Barcola plays a neat one-two with Ramos, charges into the area and drives wide of the far post. That’s a glorious chance.
83 min: Arsenal substitution Ben White comes on for Jurrien Timber, who has been hobbling for the last five minutes or so.
80 min After another patient PSG move, Kvaratskhelia cuts inside from the left and shoots over from the edge of the area. It’s been a game of subtle moodswings but overall PSG have been mightily impressive. If Arsenal can get past them, there’s nothing to fear in the final.
78 min A poor clearance from Kiwior puts Arsenal in trouble. Eventually Barcola lays the ball back to Joao Neves, who shoots over from the edge of the D. That was a pretty good chance.
77 min Saka’s shot is smartly turned round at the near post by Donnarumma. It wouldn’t have counted – Trossard was offside in the build-up.
76 min: PSG substitution Goncalo Ramos replaces Desire Doue.
75 min The two left-backs, Nuno Mendes and Myles Lewis-Skelly, have been outstanding. I’d be tempted to switch Saka to the left for a bit, especially with Hakimi on a yellow card.
74 min Kvaratskhelia sees Raya off his line and drives a chip from just inside the Arsenal half. In the end it fades well wide of the far post but for a split-second Raya would have been nervous.
72 min Martinelli runs at Hakimi and fires a cross that is headed away at the near post by Vitinha. Arsenal, without creating a heap of chances, have looked the likelier scoreres in the second half.
70 min: PSG substitution Bradley Barcola replaces the goalscorer Ousmane Dembele. Apparently his goal was preceded by 26 PSG passes.
69 min “Any Arsenal fans who are finding tonight a bit uncomfortable could just switch over to the snooker and watch John Higgins play Mark Williams in the quarter final of the World Championships at the Crucible in Sheffield, and pretend it’s 1994 again,” says Simon McMahon. “Wright, Campbell, Smith, they had a few proper strikers back then.”
68 min Arsenal are having a decent spell. Lewis-Skelly makes another excellent run through midfield and finds Saka; his pass is cut out.
66 min “It was a great save by Donnarumma but don’t you think it strange how deep he was?” says Niall Mullen. “He didn’t seem to narrow the angle at all. It was similar to the goal he conceded to Harvey Elliott at the Parc des Princes when he palmed it into the net instead of out for a corner.”
64 min I talked about Arsenal’s attacking options earlier. There’s also a case from being on Ben White at right-back, given his attacking chemistry with Saka and Odegaard. That said, he hasn’t played much in the last few months and that isn’t ideal preparation for facing Big KK Kvaratskhelia.
63 min Marquinhos fires a quick pass into Dembele, who can’t control it on the stretch on the edge of the area. Had he done so he’d have had a shooting chance.
62 min Doue is fouled by Merino after a slippery, tricky run. Nineteen years old he is.
61 min Hakimi runs onto a through pass and is about to shoot when Saliba stretches across to make an immaculate tackle. I know he’s made one or two mistakes of late but 99.94 per cent of the time he makes defending look so easy.
59 min A word for Jurrien Timber, who has recovered well after a nightmare start to the game. Kvaratskhelia and Doue have been a lot quieter either side of half-time.
58 min Arsenal think Saka is fouled on the edge of the area by Neves. They are wrong, the referee is right; Neves again nipped in front to make a stealthy tackle.
WHAT A SAVE BY DONNARUMMA!
56 min Rice surges through midfield, waits for Martinelli’s excellent off-the-ball run and plays Trossard through on goal in the inside-left channel. He moves into the area and rifles a low shot that is wonderfully saved by Donnarumma. He got down so quickly to his left and made just enough contact to brush the ball wide of the post.
55 min Superb passing and movement from PSG, who keep the ball for the best part of a minute. Eventually Doue tries to scoop a pass into the area for Hakimi; Kiwior defends well.
54 min Doue skips into the Arsenal area and is well challenged by Rice. Odegaard dribbles out, loses the ball and is relived to see Saliba clean up the mess.
Odegaard has been very quiet tonight.
52 min Arsenal come again. Trossard’s snapvolley is blocked, then Kiwior’s long-range blooter ricochets off a couple of defenders. PSG are trying to slow the game down.
51 min “Hey Rob, don’t you find that referee chat invariably kills the mood?” writes Niall Mullen. “In fact, I recommend it to any trigger-happy young men as a delaying tactic should you need it. Your partner might find it odd that you keep saying ‘but he’s from the Greater Manchester area’ over and over again but it will be worth it.”
NO GOAL!
50 min After three impermeable minutes, the goal is ruled out. It’s not entirely clear what happened; it looks like the scorer Merino was offside, never mind the blockers. But if that’s the case, why did it take three minutes?
49 min This may be a subjective offside decision, because a line of Arsenal players ran back from an offside position so the issue is whether anybody in an offside position blocked a PSG defender. That’s why they were all complaining to the referee when the goal went in.
48 min: VAR check for offside Oh my word, there’ll be mayham if this is ruled out.
Mikel Merino may be playing in midfield tonight but he’s still scoring goals. Rice curled a superb free-kick into the middle, where Merino got in front of Pacho six yards out and guided a careful header past Donnarumma.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Paris Saint-Germain (Merino 47)
Now it’s PSG who are fuming with the referee!
46 min Joao Neves jumps for a high ball, catches Merino with his arm and is booked.
46 min Martin Odegaard gets the second half under way for Arsenal. No substitutions, yet.
More boos as Slavko Vincic emerges for the second half. When a famous referee is murdered, and it’ll happen in the next 10-20 years, we’ll all have blood on our hands.
Arsenal’s main attacking options on the bench are Ethan Nwaneri, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Raheem Sterling. There’s a case, if Leandro Trossard continues to struggles, for replacing him with Zinchenko. Then Lewis-Skelly – who has again looked eerily comfortable – moves into midfield and Merino goes up front.
