Arsenal are preparing for their Champions League meeting with Paris Saint-Germain at the Emirates on Tuesday night.
The Gunners will go head-to-head with PSG for the first time since the 2016/17 season, with three points the reward if a win can be recorded.
In the new Champions League format, Arsenal currently sit 16th in the table after securing a point against Atalanta on the opening night in a hard-fought 0-0 draw.
Now, the stakes are even higher as last season’s semi-finalists visit the Emirates as early as the second fixture of the new campaign.
Achraf Hakimi reveals what PSG think of Arsenal ahead of Champions League battle
Currently leading the way in Ligue 1, PSG will not be an easy opponent to usurp, just as Atalanta weren’t on the opening night.
The Parisians led by Luis Enrique are preparing to bring a challenge to Arsenal at the Emirates, with the travelling squad already having a lot sussed out about Mikel Arteta’s side.
Speaking to the media in the pre-match press conference, PSG star Achraf Hakimi shared his squad’s thoughts about the Gunners ahead of the showdown in North London.
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“We know that Arsenal are a very difficult team to play against,” Hakimi admitted.
“It will be a difficult match, with a lot at stake. I think it will be a beautiful match to watch.
“We know that they are very strong on set pieces, and we also know that at that level every detail will be important. But we are focused and ready for this match.”
The PSG fullback then went on to further explain what PSG expect from Arsenal, forming a comparison between the Gunners and their first round opponents Girona.
“We also know that there will be a lot of intensity tomorrow. I think they are a team that is similar to Girona in the way they play, they like to have the ball and go forward. They also put a lot of speed into their passing.”
It’s set to be a fascinating duel between the two sides at the Emirates, with Enrique and Arteta both being coaches who have had a huge influence on the squads they currently control.
Arsenal’s record against PSG
Based on head-to-head history, Arsenal will go into the fixture with more confidence, having never lost to PSG competitively in their history.
The two clubs have met four times, drawing on three occasions and Arsenal winning on one, which came in a 1-0 UEFA Cup Winners Cup victory back in 1994.
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Arteta can become the first Arsenal manager to beat PSG in the Champions League, with Arsene Wenger being unable to complete such feat when the clubs last met in the 2016 group stage.
An aggregate score of 3-3 was recorded over the two group-stage ties, with the sides unable to be separated in two draws.
Arsenal are now a different calibre to Wenger’s squad that battled the Parisians that year, making Tuesday night’s match up an early blockbuster in this season’s campaign.
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