Legendary manager Fabio Capello has warned Arsenal that PSG have one of the best squads left in the Champions League in one specific position.
The Gunners play host to the French giants at the Emirates Stadium before travelling to the Parc des Princes in the Champions League semi-finals.
Capello has predicted Arsenal to beat PSG and book themselves a place in the final, but it won’t be that easy, though.
Luis Enrique has impressed with the turnaround he has managed at the club, turning them into an impressive collective rather than a team of individuals.
It lines up a tough match for Arsenal, with one area for PSG a particular problem that they must be aware of.
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Fabio Capello praises PSG’s midfield before Arsenal clash
While preparations are being made for Arsenal’s clash with PSG in the Champions League semi-final, there are plenty of discussions ongoing about the side’s strengths and weaknesses.
For the Gunners, it’s their resolute defence backed up by an attack that is capable of making plenty of chances.
Their opponents aren’t quite as solid at the back, but do have plenty of flair in their forward ranks to make up for it.
While the threat of the attackers is clear, Capello believes that it’s actually the midfield ranks that are most impressive for PSG.
He said when speaking at the Laureus World Sports Awards: “PSG’s level is very high. They spent money to recruit players who are not cracks but who are all very strong.
“It was a radical change for PSG. Now, they have a team that plays together without waiting for the flash of genius.
“I believe that Luis Enrique has done a unique job, a team that plays together, that runs, that suffers, and that has, for me, with Inter [Milan], the best midfield in the competition.”
It’s plenty of praise for the midfield ranks, an area that may be even tougher for Arsenal to compete with for one reason.
Thomas Partey’s suspension is a huge blow for Arsenal against PSG
The only real negative to come out of Arsenal’s victory over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu was a fresh suspension concern.
Thomas Partey picked up his third yellow card of the competition, meaning he will be suspended for the first leg of the semi-final.
It was an avoidable caution but one that could be costly, with the Gunners now looking at how to replace him in the midfield.
Jorginho is injured but could be an option if he manages to make a return in time to take on PSG at the Emirates Stadium.
Beyond him, there could be a switch for Mikel Merino into a deeper role before attention turns to other makeshift options.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, Riccardo Calafiori and Oleksandr Zinchenko are three full-backs who are more than comfortable featuring in midfield.
Either way, it’s far from an ideal scenario where Arteta is having to change his midfield when coming up against PSG.
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