Mikel Arteta insisted that Arsenal are ready to do ‘something special’ in Paris next Wednesday to keep their dream alive of reaching a first Champions League final since 2006.
The Gunners were outplayed and their hopes dented after Paris Saint-Germain struck on four minutes through Ousmane Dembele in the semi-final first leg last night.
Mikel Merino had a goal ruled out for offside early in the second half, but the north London club were fortunate not to face a wider deficit with Goncalo Ramos hitting the bar late on.
It gives the French visitors a 1-0 advantage going into next Wednesday’s second leg at the Parc des Princes.
Arteta said: ‘We're at half-time and my message is exactly the same (as it) was against Real Madrid (first leg) at home 3-0. We have to go to Paris and win the game. We are more than capable of doing it.
‘I saw two very good teams, but the margins are so small. They had efficiency in front of the goal. Their keeper (Gianluigi Donnarumma) as well made a difference to see the result that we've seen tonight.
‘I don't know the percentage, but we have a lot of chances to be in that final. As I repeat myself, you have to do something special in the competition to have the right to be in the final. And the time to do it is going to be in Paris.’
Arsenal have never won the European Cup and last reached the final in 2006. Now, Arteta’s chances of reaching this season’s showpiece in Munich on May 31 will require a big comeback.
But David Raya was also confident his side can overturn the deficit next Wednesday.
Raya said: ‘I’ve not seen the disallowed goal. I think we needed that lift. But we showed for the last 70 minutes that we can win against any team. We’ll go to Paris next week to win the game.
‘We’ll try to approach the game the same way. I thought we played really, really well. They had their chances, too, but that’s football.
‘It’s only half-time. We created chances and we are still in it.’
PSG saw off Manchester City in the group stages before beating Liverpool on penalties in the last 16, and then knocking out Aston Villa in the quarter-finals. Luis Enrique’s side are now on the verge of another Premier League scalp, but the Spaniard is still wary.
Enrique said: ‘It is mission accomplished for this evening. But our objective is to win the second leg at home.
‘With Arsenal we cannot let our guard down or be complacent because they can score quickly and we are back to square one. Nothing is in the bag. We need to win when we are at home because Arsenal now have nothing to lose.’