'They ate us' - William Saliba admits Arsenal 'suffered' as PSG edge Champions League semi-final first leg

A clinical early finish from Ousmane Dembélé proved to be the difference, as the French giants secured a 1-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium on a tense European night. The winger found just enough space to unleash a shot that beat Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, giving the visitors a crucial advantage in the first leg.

Luis Enrique’s side continued to create opportunities and nearly doubled their lead late in the second half. Bradley Barcola squandered a golden chance from close range, while Gonçalo Ramos rattled the crossbar with a thunderous strike.

Speaking to Canal+ after the final whistle, Saliba confessed that Arsenal had a difficult start and were fortunate not to have conceded more before they found their rhythm later in the match.

"We're a bit disappointed to lose the first game, to concede a goal this early," he said. "We should have done better. We suffered a lot in the first 20 minutes. They ate us. It's still 1-0. We'll need to show our character in the 2nd leg."

While the first half clearly belonged to the visitors, the second 45 minutes saw a shift in momentum. Arsenal looked more composed on the ball and began to apply pressure, forcing PSG to defend deeper and rely more on counterattacks.

Saliba added: “It’s not over. We hope to win there. We need to take the positive, we can’t give up. It’s the Champions League. A lot can happen. We’ll need to show our character."

Arsenal are set to face Bournemouth this Saturday in a dead rubber in the Premier League before travelling to Paris for the second leg of the Champions League semi-final at the Parc des Princes on May 7.