Uefa Champions League semi-finals: What to look out for in the first legs
- Uefa Media
- Apr 28
- 4 min read
Fresh from eliminating Real Madrid, Arsenal will look to inflict a decisive first-leg defeat on Paris in the Uefa Champions League semi-finals, while Barcelona will look to knock the wind out of Inter's sails.
Here we preview all the action ahead of the first legs on Tuesday and Wednesday.
All kick-off times are 9pm CET.
Tuesday
Arsenal v Paris
Coach Luis Enrique was left disappointed in October after the Gunners beat Paris 2-0 in London in this season's league phase, telling Uefa: "They created more chances than us, pressed us high from the first minute and we couldn't overcome it. We need to improve." Evidence suggests they have done that and more.
Having won the French title at a canter, Luis Enrique's young side are looking to eliminate a third English club in succession from the competition, having accounted for Premier League leaders Liverpool in the Round of 16 and then Aston Villa in the quarter-finals. "For a team like ours, with the young players we have, it's impressive," said Luis Enrique after that latter success.
However, if Paris fans have good cause to be dreaming of a second Champions League final (having lost 1-0 to Bayern in their only previous attempt, in 2020), Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are a considerable obstacle in their path as the Gunners look ahead to their first Champions League semi-final in 16 years.
Aside from anything else, Paris have yet to win in five competitive games against the north London side (D3 L2). Those previous encounters include another semi-final, in the 1993/94 Uefa Cup Winners' Cup, in which Arsenal prevailed by virtue of a 1-0 home win following a 1-1 draw at Parc des Princes.
In the last round, Arsenal set the tone for their tie against Real Madrid with a 3-0 home win, rounding off victory with a 2-1 success in Spain. "This is one of the best nights in my football career, for sure," said Arteta after the second leg. "It's a really special one against a team that has been an inspiration for a lot of us in this competition."
After that decider in Madrid, midfielder Declan Rice said: "This club's going to do special things over the next few years. We all fully believe it. We've got players like Myles (Lewis-Skelly) and Ethan (Nwaneri) coming through and other young lads as well, so we've got a really good mix." Is all that young talent ready to deliver right now?
Did you know: Arsenal's total of 30 goals in this season's tournament is the club's highest tally in a single edition of the competition.
Wednesday
Barcelona v Inter
Times have been relatively lean for Barcelona in recent years and fans will need no reminding that Real Madrid have won five Champions League titles since the Blaugrana's most recent success in 2014/15. However, in their first season under German boss Hansi Flick they have reached their first Champions League semi-final since 2018/19, with an exciting young squad and the significant striking talents of 36-year-old Robert Lewandowski and 28-year-old Brazilian Raphinha.
Their progress past Dortmund in the quarter-finals was relatively serene but Flick will not be underestimating Inter as he aims for a place in the final. "What the team has achieved in recent weeks is phenomenal," he said after the Dortmund decider. "We're now one step further, but we're still a long way from the end."
Barcelona have had very much the better of these sides' 12 previous Champions League meetings: W6 D4 L2. However, Inter can take comfort from having come out on top in the most consequential of those encounters; José Mourinho's Nerazzurri beat the Catalan side 3-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals en route to their 2009/10 final triumph against Bayern.
Simone Inzaghi's current vintage have something of the resilience of the Mourinho era; they do not necessarily score that many (they have hit 19 so far in this campaign, compared to Barcelona's 37) but their defensive resolve has ensured they tend to make their goals count, conceding just five over the course of the campaign.
Moreover, in Lautaro Martínez they have a goalscorer in exceptional continental form – the Argentinian has scored in his last five Champions League fixtures and is the first player to score more than 20 goals for Inter in Europe's top club competition.
After discovering his side would be playing Barcelona in the semis, Martínez said: "It will be an important tie against a great opponent; in the Champions League they have a lot of history." The challenge for his side will be to prove how little bearing those old glories have on the here and now.
Did you know: Barcelona could do with a first-leg lead; Inter are unbeaten in their last 15 Champions League home matches (W12 D3) since a 2-0 defeat against Bayern in the group stage in September 2022.
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