The Champions Blog #2.15
THE CHAMPIONS BLOG
First blood has been drawn in the first leg of the Champions League semi finals. We're down to the wire as the outcome of the first legs have been decided, as we've been treated to some exciting encounters between the four remaining teams, with some being halfway there to the final in Munich. This is the Champions Blog.
Tuesday April 30th:
Arsenal vs Paris Saint Germain (Emirates Stadium, London, England)
The first of two semi finals took place in North London, with Arsenal hosting PSG, with hopes of making their first Champions League final since 2006. PSG's last and only appearance in a Champions League final came in a COVID- ridden 2019/20 season, where they fell short in the final is Lisbon to Bayern Munich. The Parisians and the Londoners have already faced each other this season, as the two sides met in London back in October, when Arsenal defeated the Parisians 2-0 with goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka. PSG look to avenge their defeat and draw first blood in London.
Within just four minutes into the evening in London, Ousmane Dembélé picked up the ball and drove into the Arsenal midfield area, striding through into the Arsenal midfield. He switched the play to Kvicha Kvaratskhelia on the left flank who played with Jurrien Timber before finding Dembélé again before the Frenchmen's first time strike hit the post before going into the back of David Raya's net, making it 1-0 to PSG with just four minutes gone in the Emirates Stadium. Later on, PSG looked to double their advantage when Kvaratskhelia's low shot was drilled cross goal, which took a touch from Timber before going straight at Raya, keeping it 1-0. Around the half hour mark, PSG came close again when Dembélé, after battling with William Saliba switched the play to Désiré Doué who took a few touches before drilling a low shot to goal. His shot was saved by Raya before Fabian Ruiz hit the post on the rebound, letting Arsenal off the hook. Arsenal had their best chance of the game, five minutes from the end of the first half, when Saka skipped past two defenders before playing a beautiful cross to find a teammate. Gianluigi Donnarumma missed to tip the ball out but Gabriel Martinelli failed to poke the ball into an open net, as PSG survived a major scare. Right before half time, Myles Lewis-Skelly played a beautiful through ball to Martinelli, leaving him one on one with Donnarumma, with the latter being able to make a save to protect his clean sheet, as PSG went into the half holding a 1-0 lead.
Within just two minutes into the second half, Arsenal looked to equalise things following a free kick. Declan Rice curled a beautiful ball into the six yard area with Mikel Merino heading the ball home from close range. It sent jubilation to the home fans but that didn't last long. After a lengthy VAR check, the goal was deemed disallowed for offside, and PSG were let off the hook yet again. Arsenal came close when Rice got the ball and drove into the final third of the PSG half, who then slid Leandro Trossard through on goal. He gets one-on-one on Donnarumma but the Italian made a crucial save to keep his opposition at bay. However, just because Arsenal were the team who constantly attacked, didn't mean PSG didn't have their fair share of chances. Towards the final 10 minutes of the game, PSG had a golden chance to potentially but the tie to bed when Bradley Barcola played nice one-two football with Gonçalo Ramos, with the former sent through on goal by Ramos. Barcola poked his shot low but it just narrowly missed the target, sending disbelief to the PSG touchline. Just a moment later, Marquinhos played an immaculate through ball to Ramos, who took a beautiful touch and remained onside, before scooping a shot on goal, just hitting the cross bar, resulting in another huge let-off for Arsenal. However, it wouldn't matter as PSG ended the game, holding onto their slim 1-0 lead and taking the advantage back to Paris.
Picture Above: PSG forward, Ousmane Dembélé dribbling the ball past Ethan Nwaneri of Arsenal.
Wednesday 1st May:
Barcelona vs Inter Milan (Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain)
The next day, Barcelona welcomed Inter Milan to Montjuïc for the second semi final encounter of the first leg games. It was the first time Barcelona were participating in the semi finals of the competition since 2019, when they were in touching distance of the final, following a 3-0 lead in the first leg, before Liverpool produced one of the greatest Champions League comebacks of all time to defeat the Blaugrana 4-0 and make the final in Madrid. Meanwhile, Inter Milan's last appearance in the semi finals came in the 2022/23 season, when they faced their city and oldest rivals, AC Milan. The Nerazzuri won the first leg 2-0 before sealing a slim 1-0 win in the second leg, reaching their first Champions League final since 2010. Barcelona hasn't made a Champions League final since they won it back in 2015. Will they be able to play their cards right and make the final in Munich?
Within less than just a minute played in Barcelona, the home fans had to deal with an early shock. Following a failed clearance from Joules Koundé, Denzel Dumfries pounced and delivered another ball from the right flank. His low cross finds Marcus Thuram who produced an audacious flick into the bottom left corner of Wojciech Szczęsny's net, with just 30 seconds played. 10 minutes later, Barca came agonisingly close, through Ferran Torres, who had big shoes to fill following Robert Lewandowski's injury. After Lamine Yamal beats and dribbles past Federico Dimarco, before passing to Torres, who took a touch to steady himself before dragging it narrowly wide. Following a corner from Barcelona, Yann Aurel Bisseck rose highest to head the ball to safety; however, the ball fell pack n the path of Torres who chested the ball and tired a shot from a difficult angle, but drifted wide and into the left side of the goal, leaving another chance going begging for Barca. Two minutes later, the home crowd was silenced yet again, when Inter doubled their lead. Following an Inter Milan corner, Dimarco's corner flew into the Barcelona penalty area, before finding Francesco Acerbi who nodded the ball into the six yard area, before Dumfries scored an audacious acrobatic right-footed volley, to hammer it home, making it 2-0 to the Nerazzuri. Just a few minutes later, Yamal reduced Barcelona's deficit with a spectacular solo goal. It started back when he won back possession in the right-hand side, before dancing past numerous defenders and slotting a shot home, which hit the post before going in. Yamal proved once again why he's one of the best players in the world. Barca came agonisingly close to finding an equaliser, when Yamal almost produced another beautiful goal, which was just tipped to the crossbar by Yann Sommer, but Barca were starting to show signs of life. 7 minutes from the end of the first half, Barca finally managed to find an equaliser from Ferran Torres. Pedri flew in a cross from the right hand side, which met Raphinha. The Brazilian headed the ball down for Torres with the latter poking the ball past Sommer to complete the turnaround for Barcelona. Eventually, the teams would go into the half drawing 2 a piece, but it was still anyone's game.
In the second half, Inter looked to hit the front again, and came close within four minutes, when Dumfries played a through ball to Bisseck. The German's low cross deflected off a few Barca defenders before falling into the path of Dimarco, whose first time volley sailed over the bar. In the 62nd minute, Dumfries got his third goal contribution of the night following a flown in corner from Hakan Çalhanoğlu. The Dutchman rises highest in a sea of Barcelona defenders and headed the ball past Szczęsny, restoring the Nerazzuri's lead. Just two minutes later, Barca had a corner which looked to help them equalise things. Dani Olmo opted to go for a short corner with Yamal dummying the pass, giving Raphinha room to pounce. The Brazilian took a thunderous first time strike which reverberated the crossbar before going in through the back of Sommer, making Inter's lead last short and Barca making it 3-3. With time running out come the 86th minute, Barca looked to make their chances count. Torres made a breakaway run before passing to Yamal on the right side who looked to angle a cross to Raphinha. The cross just so happened to hit the cross bar before one of the Inter defenders was able to clear it out of danger. Eventually, Clement Turpin blew the final whistle and the teams would have to settle the tie in Milan.
First blood has been drawn in the semi finals of this season's Champions League. Despite all the drama over the two legs, it's still anyone's chance to make the final in Munich. Will Barcelona make their first Champions League final and lift the trophy for the first time since 2015? Will Inter avenge the sorrow of Istanbul in 2023 and win their first title since 2010? Or will Arsenal or PSG induct their names on the European Cup for the first time in their respective histories and avenge their previous final heartbreaks? The Champions Blog will return next week following the action from the second legs when finalists of this seasons Champions League will be determined.
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