The first legs of this season’s Champions League semi-finals could not have been more contrasting. At the Emirates, Paris Saint-Germain eked out a slender 1–0 win over Arsenal thanks to an early Ousmane Dembele strike, while in Spain, Barcelona and Inter Milan served up a six-goal thriller that ended honours even at 3–3.

PSG grind out precious advantage at Arsenal
Paris Saint-Germain took control within minutes at the Emirates, with Dembele rifling home off the post in the fourth minute to hand Luis Enrique’s side a priceless early lead. PSG bossed the opening exchanges, dominating possession and territory and weathered Arsenal’s rally after the interval. Mikel Merino thought he had levelled for the Gunners with a headed finish from Declan Rice’s free-kick, only for VAR to rule him marginally offside.

Arsenal’s hope of overturning the deficit rests on improving their sluggish start: too often their midfield was bypassed, and although Gianluigi Donnarumma pulled off a superb fingertip save to deny Leandro Trossard, the Gunners never truly tested PSG after the break. PSG, for their part, had chances to kill the tie. Bradley Barcola blazing over and Goncalo Ramos rattling the bar, but will head to the Parc des Princes confident that their defensive resilience and clinical edge can see them into a first final since 2020.

A six-goal classic in Barcelona
Further south, Barcelona and Inter Milan produced one of the Champions League standout spectacles. Inter shocked the hosts inside 30 seconds when Marcus Thuram capitalised on slack marking to fire them ahead, marking the fastest goal ever in a Champions League semi-final. Denzel Dumfries doubled the lead midway through the half, converting with an overhead kick from a set-piece to leave Barcelona reeling.

Yet the Blaugrana refused to lie down. Seventeen-year-old Lamine Yamal delivered a moment of magic, drifting past three defenders before curling in a sublime solo effort to pull one back and become the youngest scorer in a Champions League semi-final. Ferran Torres then levelled with a calm finish after Raphinha's clever layoff. Dumfries struck again to reestablish Inter’s lead, only for Raphinha to pull Barca level again 2 minutes later when his thunderous strike cannoned back off the bar.

The tie was tinged by injury concerns: Inter were forced to replace Lautaro Martinez, while Barcelona lost Jules Koundé to a hamstring problem. Both sides will take encouragement, Inter from their ruthlessness in open play, Barcelona from their attacking verve and indomitable spirit into next week’s return at the San Siro.

Second-leg permutations
PSG’s slender advantage means Arsenal must rediscover the spark that carried them past Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, or risk exiting at the semi-final stage. At the same time, their Paris rivals will feel the Klitschko punch of Dembélé’s goal, relying on a tight defensive display and rapid transitions to see them over the line.

In Catalonia, the pendulum swings so wildly that no side can feel secure. Inter will lean on their clinical finishing and defensive organisation, whereas Barcelona will trust in youthful flair, above all Yamal’s unpredictable brilliance to tilt the tie in their favour.

With 90 minutes at the Parc des Princes and another at the San Siro still to come, both finals places remain tantalisingly in the balance.