Ousmane Dembélé, the forward for Paris Saint-Germain, may miss the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal next week due to a hamstring injury sustained at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal’s head coach, Mikel Arteta, emphasized the need for his team to deliver a “special” performance to overturn a 1-0 deficit in Paris, a task that could be less daunting if PSG’s key player is sidelined.

PSG’s manager, Luis Enrique, provided an update, stating, “It’s quite minor, but there’s a doubt for the return match. He’ll undergo tests tomorrow. We’re a real team. If Ousmane can play, that’s good. If he doesn’t, we’ll see a team performance.” He added, “PSG is better with Dembélé, but Paris is a team. We have continuously reiterated that since the start of the season.”

During the first leg on Tuesday, PSG started strong, with Dembélé scoring the only goal early on from a cross by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. However, he was substituted after 70 minutes due to his hamstring issue. Arsenal’s goalkeeper, David Raya, made a crucial save to deny Désiré Doué, while substitutes Bradley Barcola and Gonçalo Ramos missed opportunities to increase PSG’s lead in the final moments.

Arteta remarked on his team’s challenge, stating, “That is always the danger; credit to them. When they scored, we had seven players behind the ball, and they were clinical. Sometimes you just have to recognize the talent of the individual.”

Arsenal faced a frustrating night, as Mikel Merino thought he had equalized early in the second half. However, his header from a Declan Rice free kick was ruled out after a nearly three-minute VAR review.

Gianluigi Donnarumma, PSG’s goalkeeper, made key saves denying both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard. Arteta noted that these small details played a crucial role in the outcome, and he will welcome back Thomas Partey from suspension for the second leg on May 7. “If you want to win, you need to do something special,” Arteta asserted. “The time to do it will be in Paris. We have whetted our appetite. We have a chance to be in the final; we are more than capable of doing it. I am disappointed with the result. They were more efficient. Thomas provides options and a different threat. It gives us flexibility to change the game.”

Luis Enrique cautioned his PSG squad about Arsenal’s resilience, citing their previous comeback at Anfield against Liverpool. “It was mission accomplished, but we cannot let our guard down; Liverpool were leading 1-0. We didn’t let our guard down,” Enrique stated. “The goal boosted our confidence. We were even better without the ball. The result gives us a slight advantage, but we know we will suffer. I believe we can reach the final, but there is still one match to play.”

Raya commented on Arsenal’s potential to exploit PSG’s vulnerabilities: “We played well, we put them on the back foot, hurt them, and created plenty of chances. We know we can win against any team.”

PSG midfielder Vitinha stated, “We controlled the game with the ball, and when we had to adapt to the circumstances, we did it. This isn’t over. We must deliver a great performance in Paris.”

In the lead-up, Arteta had urged Arsenal fans to rally support, but former England forward Wayne Rooney expressed disappointment with the crowd’s energy, mentioning, “The fans against Real Madrid were excellent. Tonight, they were a bit subdued, almost like an anticlimax because Arsenal beat Real Madrid and expectations were high for them to reach the final and win the competition. The players had to show up for them, but it wasn’t good enough tonight for Arsenal.”