Arsenal recorded a superb 2-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, on a very positive night at the Emirates Stadium.
Goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka sent Arsenal into the lead, and they put in a professional second-half display to secure their first win of the European campaign.
It was an enjoyable night at the Emirates, as summer signing Mikel Merino came on for his Arsenal debut, and there were pre-match displays in the North Bank and the Clock End.
Champions League nights against some of Europe’s top teams provide some of the biggest possible occasions, and have seen some of the best atmospheres and moments in Emirates Stadium history.
PSG did lose Kylian Mbappe in the summer, but the French champions were undefeated heading into the game, and keeping them at bay was no easy feat. However, whilst this was a statement night for Arsenal’s Champions League hopes, the atmosphere did not reflect it.
Arsenal fans complain about the Emirates Stadium atmosphere in PSG victory
The atmosphere at the Emirates has significantly improved during Mikel Arteta’s time in charge, and perhaps the progress his team has made means that individual victories feel less significant.
I was sat in the lower tier of the Clock End, which is typically one of the loudest parts of the ground, and whilst it was raucous at times, there were periods in which the home support went flat, and the only noise came from the PSG fans in the away end.
Speaking to Arsenal fans at the Emirates after the game, some were unimpressed with the atmosphere in what was a terrific victory in Europe’s elite competition.
“I thought it was terrible, but there’s not much the club can do, they can’t force people to sing,” one fan told me.
“I tried getting involved with the chanting in the first half, but every time it weak or just died out immediately,” another fan stated.
I asked what factors led to such a surprisingly tame atmosphere, and there were several reasons for it.
“With this new Champions League format, if we lost tonight it wouldn’t have been the end of the world,” a fan replied.
“Expensive tickets didn’t help. Compare the atmosphere tonight to Saturday against Leicester, the difference was insane,” another stated.
Some were happy overall, and simply pointed to the professional nature of Arsenal’s performance leading to less tension, and therefore less excitement in the stands overall.
“The atmosphere was fine, it was good at the start then slowly and understandably lowered as the game became more boring. It was the first home game. If PSG had played better, or if it was a knockout game, it would have been a different story,” another fan pointed out.
PSG fans were loud throughout the game, and some highlighted the difference between the home and the away support.
“PSG fans put us to shame they created most of the atmosphere tonight, unfortunately hard as we try we couldn’t hang. Unbelievable from them even after they went 2 down , they didn’t stop singing all game!” A fan posted on X.
Did Arsenal price PSG Champions League tickets correctly?
Arsenal placed the PSG game in price category A, which is the most expensive bracket when it comes to home match fixtures.
This priced the PSG clash alongside games against Manchester City, Tottenham and Manchester United, but given how early it is in the season, the result is clearly less impactful to Arsenal’s season than a potentially title-changing game against a rival would have been.
The PSG tie is the only category A-priced game in the league phase of the Champions League this season, with the knockout rounds expected to follow suit.
However, in the build-up to the match, there were plenty of tickets listed on the ticket exchange for resale. Despite big-name opposition coming to the Emirates, a lower category of pricing may have contributed to a better atmosphere given how early in the campaign the game arrived.
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