4️⃣ things to look out for in the Champions League this week | OneFootball

The first leg of this season's Champions League semi-finals take place this week.

This is what to watch out for from the action.

⚔️ Match of the Week

📸 Shaun Botterill - 2024 Getty Images

There's really very little to split these two semi-finals with both games offering something very different. But if we had to pick one, Arsenal's clash with Paris Saint-Germain would win the race by a nose.

The Gunners host this season's outstanding European side at the Emirates in a clash should get even a football-sceptic excited.

Luis Enrique's PSG have been an utter sensation this season, waltzing to the Ligue 1 title and, since the last week of the League Phase anyway, steamrolling all before them on the continent.

But what could have looked like a straightforward two-legged win for the French side a few weeks ago has become something slightly different right now.

PSG lost their first domestic match of the season at the weekend as Nice stopped the capital club from going unbeaten in the league.

And that's added to PSG's surprising defeat to Aston Villa in the second leg of their quarter-final just two weeks ago.

They may have been a winning machine over 2024/25, but there is definitely an Achilles heel there and one that Arsenal should be able to exploit in front of a raucous home crowd.

When you then factor in the north London outfit's brilliant win over Real Madrid in the last round, the return of Bukayo Saka and the fact they had no Premier League match to contend with over the weekend, a slight chance has now turned into a very good one for the English club.

Whatever happens, this is going to be a game you simply must not miss.

🔎 Team to Watch

One down, two to go.

Barcelona have completed the first part of their quest for a treble this season with a stunning extra-time win over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final.

The big question now is, can the Blaugrana come down from that remarkable victory over their hated rivals and get back up for a crucial game against Inter?

If the stats from this season are anything to go by, the short answer to that is: yes.

Hansi Flick's men are yet to lose any game at home in the Champions League this term and have not been defeated in Montjuïc in any competition since the end of December - a 14-game streak.

With Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, the Blaugrana have two of the most in-form forwards anywhere in the world, whilst Pedri's performance in Saturday's final had many wondering if he is now Europe's best midfielder.

Added to that the performances of goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny and the Catalan club have a supreme mix that could land them their first European title in a decade.

🔥 Player to Watch

📸 Marco Luzzani - 2025 Getty Images

Goals are clearly going to be key to the game in Barcelona on Wednesday and so, if Inter are to triumph, Lautaro Martínez will need to be at his absolute best.

That's almost gone without saying over the past 12 months with the Argentina international quietly becoming one of the very best strikers in the world.

In a direct shoot-out with Harry Kane in the last round, it was the Inter man who came out on top with Lautaro netting a scorcher in the first leg at the Allianz Arena and doing so again on the return to Milan.

In total he has scored eight in the Champions League so far this term in just 650 minutes of game time.

That's one strike every 81 minutes - the best goals-to-minutes ratio of anyone who reached the knockout stages.

The Nerazzurri though won't mind when the goals come, just as long as Inter's fox in the box packs his scoring boots for the trip to Spain.

📊 Fascinating stat

This will be the sixth meeting between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain with the Gunners unbeaten across the previous five matches - W2, D3.

Arsenal are the opponents that the French side have faced the most times in European competition without ever winning.

📸 David Ramos - 2025 Getty Images