UCL semis: Arsenal, PSG eye maiden title; Barca, Inter aim to reclaim long lost glory

• NEW DELHI — The road to Munich is at its final stop with the UEFA Champions League semi-finals beginning as Arsenal play host to Paris Saint Germain at the Emirates Stadium and Inter Milan travelling to Estadi Olímpic Lluis Companys to take on FC Barcelona in their respective first leg fixtures. 
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• Despite the loss of Kylan Mbappe, PSG clinched their fourth successive Ligue 1 title with six games to play thanks to a 2-1 win against Le Havre 10 days ago. With the French title in the bag, the only question left was whether they could complete a first-ever undefeated top-flight campaign, but the weekend brought a 3-1 loss at home to Lyon to taste defeat.
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• They're still 20 points clear of Marseille in second and on track for a famous treble as they have also reached the final of the French Cup where they will meet Reims, but while the setback against Nice was their only domestic loss of the campaign, they have been beaten five times in the Champions League despite making the semis.

Also read: Do-or-die for Madrid, Bayern, Dortmund & Villa in UEFA Champions League QF leg 2

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• The two sides had met previously in the group stage at the same venue of Wednesday’s clash where the Gunners won 2-0.
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• Mikel Arteta, who played for both sides during his playing days, pulled off what many seemed to be impossible. He led Arsenal to a massive 5-1 win over defending champions Real Madrid in the quarter-final. That win was much more significant in the larger scheme of things as it was the Gunners’ first big knockout victory since returning to Europe’s premier competition in 2024, where they were eliminated by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.
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• Although Liverpool sealed the Premier League title on Sunday, confirming Arsenal’s drought extends to 21 years, the Arteta led side will be hoping to seal a spot in the final at the Allianz Arena and lift the trophy for the first time in club history.
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• While the first semi-final of the tournament promises fireworks, the second game however will see two sides with very different approaches to the game.