A week where Lamine Yamal went to another level. That's what it already feels like this is going to be remembered as, after he dominated Barcelona's 3-3 with Internazionale. Arsenal meanwhile need to go to another level to knock out Paris Saint-Germain. And, of course, the only remaining intrigue in the Premier League is who can get into the competition next season... |
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| Written by Miguel Delaney |
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| Everyone is talking about Yamal and we can't but add to it. There's a piece on what it is that makes him so special as well as what the Internazionale players thought here. The immediate response from their players was "he's better than Leo Messi". |
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| Arsenal aren't out yet... |
PSG gave Arsenal a football lesson in the first 20 minutes of their first leg but there are suggestions - not least from that first half - that Mikel Arteta might have already learned, and that he can apply that to this monumental second leg. There is also a new historical precedent around such results. Between 1955 and 2018, only six sides had lost a European Cup/Champions League first leg at home and still gone through. Since 2019, there have been five. You can read more about all that here. |
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| | Chelsea move for attackers, as Madrid consider options |
It was reported here last week that Chelsea are accelerating market moves, and they duly have their eyes on some attackers. The Independent wrote on Tuesday there is interest in Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, but they are also willing to challenge Arsenal for Nico Williams. They are also one of many clubs alert to potential signings from Real Madrid. Xabi Alonso is now so certain to get the job there that players have started to have their new futures made known to them by the current hierarchy. There will be changes up front, and they actually want a Joselu-style forward as an impact substitute. Trent Alexander-Arnold is meanwhile expected to play right-back - not central midfield. Rodrygo is considered the big name available for a sale, but there may be one other... |
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| Barca move to lock down the boy Inter couldn't |
It's incredible to think that Uefa gave the man of the match on Wednesday to Denzel Dumfries. Lamine Yamal's performance already feels like one of those that's going to be looked back on for years, and appear in documentaries. And despite stirring the emotions in such a way, he missed out on the individual award due to some highly specific technical reasons. Everyone else was blown away. Barcelona are of course already working on a new mega-contract to tie him down, since his current one runs out next year, due to the fact he was only 16 when he signed it. Spanish law states that the maximum length of deal that can be signed at that age is three years. There is a loose verbal agreement in place. Urgency is understandable, since we are talking about the future. |
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There was much discussion this week of the atmosphere at Arsenal-PSG, but I would say one of the most frustrating things for Mikel Arteta and his squad was that it was genuinely sensational at the start. I've done a lot of games at Arsenal over the years, and many in Europe, and I had never heard it as loud as it was around kick-off for that first leg. Of course, that's the thing with away goals. The rule might not be in force any more, but it still has that capacity to silence a crowd. It's true the atmosphere didn't get going in the same way, but some of that was a response to the tactical coaching battle it became. |
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| It can only be Lamine Yamal. And it already feels like he's going to be a feature here. |
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Even after the first legs, I'm still going for Arsenal and Barcelona to go through. I think Arsenal will respond to what happened in the first leg in a calculated manner, and PSG will regret the late misses. Lamine Yamal will also deliver Barcelona. |
Every week I'll make one prediction or talking point for the week. Feel free to email in with thoughts. |
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In this millennium, only six teams have lost the first leg of a Champions League semi-final and still made it through to the final. In other words, exactly the feat that Arsenal now have to emulate. Name the six who did it and the seasons, with the scoreline and opposition for a bonus challenge. Note: the first-leg defeat can be either home or away.
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