Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta Gives Candid Take on Missing Thomas Partey in Loss to PSG | OneFootball

Paris Saint-Germain will return to the French capital with a one-goal lead after edging Arsenal 1–0 on Tuesday night in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal at Emirates Stadium.

The Ligue 1 side wasted little time finding the breakthrough. Ousmane Dembélé opened the scoring in the fourth minute, finishing off a slick move he helped create.

Dembélé switched the ball wide to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who darted into the box and whipped in a cutback with the outside of his right foot. Dembélé pounced, guiding a low shot off the post and into the net.

Arsenal appeared to have drawn level later on, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR check, leaving PSG with the upper hand going into the return leg in Paris. Nonetheless, the Gunners will have one difference-maker back in their starting 11 for the return leg, Thomas Partey.

Did Arsenal miss Thomas Partey?

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Following the first-leg loss to PSG, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta spoke to Amazon Prime, and one of the questions he answered was about missing Thomas Partey.

“I think Declan [Rice] and Mikel [Merino] were enormous,” Arteta said (h/t BBC). “He gives options and a different threat. It gives us flexibility to change the game. It’s half-time and we have a big chance to be in the final.”