Coach Mikel Arteta and Arsenal players must have had a familiar feeling when witnessing Paris Saint-Germain defeat Bayern Munich to win a ticket to the Champions League final. That is almost a perfect copy of what the "Gunners" experienced against PSG last season.
Like last year's semi-final at the Emirates, PSG entered the Allianz Arena with absolute confidence and quickly gained control of the match. Ousmane Dembele continued to play the hero when he scored the opening goal very early, putting Bayern Munich in a chasing position from the first minutes.
Although Harry Kane scored the late equalizer to help Bayern keep the 1-1 draw in the second leg, PSG still won the overall victory 6-5 after two legs. However, that score does not fully reflect the dominance that coach Luis Enrique's team created in Munich.
PSG not only scored right in the first attack with a perfectly organized counter-attack on the left wing, but also showed football at a very high level for most of the match. If they finished more sharply, the French team could completely score more goals against Bayern.
PSG's strength currently lies in the ability to combine speed, technique and tactical balance. Dembele is playing the best football in his career and shows why he is considered the top candidate for the Ballon d'Or. Meanwhile, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue bring explosion and the ability to create continuous breakthroughs on both wings.
However, the biggest difference of PSG this season lies in the midfield. Fabian Ruiz continues to play an important role with the ability to recover the ball and regulate the match. Joao Neves stands out thanks to his pressing intensity and strong tackling ability, while Vitinha is a creative brain with passes that open up dangerous opportunities.
That balance helps PSG not only attack well but also defend effectively. Despite having to play away in the harsh atmosphere at the Allianz Arena, Enrique's team still maintained composure and extremely tight organization.
One of the notable highlights is how PSG adapted to the force difficulties. Warren Zaire-Emery was pulled down to play right-back instead of Achraf Hakimi and quickly integrated after a difficult start. Meanwhile, Nuno Mendes also had an excellent performance against Michael Olise despite receiving a yellow card very early.
In the center of defense, Marquinhos and Willian Pacho almost locked Harry Kane throughout the match. Bayern Munich entered the semi-finals with a streak of 6 consecutive matches scoring at least 3 goals, but against PSG, they were almost powerless for most of the match time.
The most outstanding player is probably still Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Georgian star is considered one of the best wingers in the world today. He successfully completed all six dribbles against Bayern, continuously stretching the opponent's defense and creating a difference in counter-attack situations.
Not only dangerous when holding the ball, Kvaratskhelia also actively supports defense. He won 11 tackles and had six ball recoveries - numbers that show the comprehensiveness in his playing style.
That will be an extremely difficult problem for Arsenal in the final at Budapest. PSG has currently scored 44 goals in the Champions League this season, only one goal less than Barcelona's record in 2000. Their attacking trio is in almost perfect form.
However, Arsenal still has reason to be confident. Arteta's team is the only club that has not lost in the Champions League this season and possesses the most solid defense in the league with 9 clean sheets in 14 matches.
If PSG represents the strongest attack in Europe currently, then Arsenal is a symbol of organization and defensive discipline. That makes this year's Champions League final a very anticipated confrontation between two modern football schools.
One side is PSG's almost unstoppable attack, the other side is the perfectly organized defense system under Arteta. And in Budapest, European football will find the final answer to the question of what is the ultimate winning formula.
