Skip to main content
Daily Mirror

Mikel Arteta drops two hints over Arsenal team for Champions League fixture vs PSG

Arsenal face the biggest game in their recent history against French giants Paris Saint-Germain next week and it appears that Mikel Arteta is already putting thought into his starting XI

Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta is already mulling over his side vs PSG(Image: Getty Images)

Mikel Arteta has hinted that he could continue his Leandro Trossard experiment in Arsenal’s Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain. The Gunners are set to take on the French side in the semi-finals next week after beating Real Madrid.

Arsenal have a few Premier League games to navigate ahead of welcoming PSG to the Emirates. The Gunners clashed with Ipswich at Portman Road over the weekend - sealing a 4-0 win against the struggling side.


They then take on Crystal Palace at the Emirates later this week ahead of their showdown with PSG. And it appears that Arteta has dropped a few hints during Arsenal’s league commitments.


Leandro Trossard led the line for Arsenal against Ipswich, a decision that paid dividends after the Belgian’s brace. Asked if he could be handed a similar role against PSG, Arteta replied: “Yeah, he’s certainly ready to play in any position.

‘We have to make certain adjustments, not because of PSG but because of the situation we had with Thomas and a few other players, but that’s good because the team shows adaptability, versatility for certain players to play in different positions. That’s very much needed, especially when we have the numbers that we have at the moment.”

READ MORE: Arsenal ace Declan Rice given touching gift from Ed Sheeran and jokes about linking upREAD MORE: Mikel Arteta blasts "dangerous" tackle as Bukayo Saka hands Arsenal injury scare

Arteta could also tweak Mikel Merino’s position vs PSG. The Spaniard played slightly further forwards against Ipswich in the absence of Thomas Partey - with Declan Rice holding - and turned in an impressive outing.

Article continues below

Arteta was also full of praise. He added: “That’s where he’s played his whole career. But obviously, we have a very short memory sometimes, and we see him as a nine and now it’s almost strange to see him in midfield. I think he did really well.”

Asked how he would rotate his side over the coming week ahead of the game vs PSG, Arteta replied: “We have to somehow put 11 players out there and have four or five changes, so let’s see how they recover in the next few days.

Leandro Trossard
Leandro Trossard scored twice against Ipswich(Image: Getty Images)

What side should Arsenal name vs PSG? Share your thoughts in the comments below

“The good thing is they are willing to play because they like the rhythm as well. We are so used to that rhythm every three days that the boys are demanding and then we don’t have a game at the weekend, so we have a gap there, so let’s see how we get on on Wednesday.”

Arsenal already know the potential opponents they could take on in the Champions League final should they plot a route past PSG. Inter Milan and Barcelona come together in the other semi-final.

Article continues below

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Sky Sports' discounted Premier League and EFL package
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £192 and includes more than 1,000 live matches each season across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Follow Daily Mirror:


Mikel ArtetaParis Saint-GermainPremier LeagueUEFA Champions League FinalArsenal FCLeandro Trossard
reach logo

At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the "Do Not Sell or Share my Data" button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.