Arsenal: This is our time | OneFootball

At the Emirates Stadium, the message is literally written on the wall – “This is our time”.

Arsenal believe they are ready.

19 years since their first, and only, Champions League final, Arsenal face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final with a side rebuilt to compete at the top level again.

The contrast with the past is sharp. Under Arsène Wenger, the club built a reputation for beautiful football. Arteta’s Arsenal are different, less focused on possession, more direct, more aggressive, and tactically tighter. Beautiful, but in their own way.

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Arteta has combined ideas from Wenger, Pep Guardiola, and David Moyes, with whom he spent six years at Everton. The result is a side built on pressing, organisation and control, although don’t use that word with Mikel. “Control is not a word I like,” Arteta said last season. “I like ‘dominance’ and not allowing teams to breathe.”

Since his appointment, Arteta has spent around £400m on goalkeepers, defenders and defensive midfielders, more than double what he has spent on attacking players, an issue that will be addressed this summer.

His biggest signing, Declan Rice, was brought in, ‘half-price’ for £105m.

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Rice has become central to the system, combining relentless defensive work with a growing attacking threat. His two free-kick goals against Real Madrid in the quarter-final helped knock out the 15-time European champions.

At home, Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 11 Champions League matches and PSG were beaten 2-0 at the Emirates earlier this season. Arteta wants more.

“We want to do something special, that place has to be something special, something that we haven’t seen,” Arteta told reporters at his pre-match press conference.

“And I really hope that everybody that comes tomorrow to the Emirates and everybody that is watching and following us, brings that energy with them.

“It’s an incredible opportunity. We are here to make people happy, to create history and we are very close. Now we have to take the opportunity and make it happen.”

“This is our time” has to be more than just a phrase on the wall. Arteta believes it. The squad believes it.

Now they have the chance to prove it.

Arsenal v PSG match facts

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Arsenal head into Tuesday night’s semi-final with a proud record against Paris Saint-Germain, having never lost in five previous meetings (two wins, three draws). No other side has faced PSG more often in European competition without tasting defeat.

The Gunners already struck a blow against the French champions earlier this season, winning 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium in the group stage. Only once before has an English club defeated PSG twice in the same Champions League campaign, when Manchester City managed the feat en route to the 2020-21 final.

For PSG, trips to England have become increasingly perilous. They have lost five of their last six away matches against Premier League sides in this competition, including defeats to Manchester City, Arsenal, Newcastle United, and Aston Villa.