Arsenal Starting XI vs PSG: Confirmed Team News and Predicted Lineup | OneFootball

PSG vs Arsenal: Team News, Predicted Line-up and Champions League Stakes

As Arsenal arrive in Paris for their decisive Champions League clash against PSG, the narrative is no longer about fragility or inexperience. It’s about margins—fine ones. In a season defined by evolution and resolve, Mikel Arteta’s side find themselves on the brink of a European final, with their ambition bolstered by the return of key figures at precisely the right moment.

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Timber Returns, Defence Recalibrated

Jurrien Timber’s name wasn’t on the squad list against Bournemouth at the weekend. A 2-1 loss had punctuated what has otherwise been a commanding campaign. Yet there he was on Tuesday, training in the Parisian dusk.

“I will assess (Timber) today, whether he can start again or not,” said Arteta—cautious, yes, but telling.

The Dutch defender’s inclusion could mean Ben White makes way. White, ever reliable, was one of two changes in that Bournemouth defeat. The other, Thomas Partey, is likely to retain his spot after returning from suspension. His presence not only brings authority but also frees Declan Rice to advance—where he has quietly become Arsenal’s top scorer in the Champions League knockout rounds. That evolution, too, says something about Arsenal’s current form: functional, yet increasingly unpredictable.

Selection Dilemma Up Front

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are set to flank the front three. That much is unchanged. But who leads the line? That remains a puzzle with implications. Leandro Trossard started the first leg, industrious but contained. Mikel Merino—used as an auxiliary striker in recent weeks—could be preferred. His effectiveness fluctuated in midfield against PSG last week, but his versatility has proved crucial during this European stretch.

Arsenal’s options are no longer limited, but layered. Riccardo Calafiori has also returned from a knee injury sustained in March, giving Arteta even more choices at the back. “He’s travelled and he’s fit and ready to play when we need him,” the manager confirmed.

Champions League Context

For PSG, this is as much about pride as progression. Their project—glamorous and high-stakes—has rarely delivered the ultimate prize. For Arsenal, it’s something different. This isn’t just about revival; it’s about redefinition. Their identity, shaped under Arteta, is one that feels closer than ever to the standards of Europe’s elite.

Felix Zwayer of Germany will oversee proceedings at the Parc des Princes, with kick-off set for 8pm BST on Wednesday, May 7. The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports, and for all the tactical tweaks and personnel returns, this feels like one of those nights when reputations are hardened, not merely made.

Predicted Arsenal XI (4-3-3)Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Merino, Martinelli