Inside Arsenal dressing room ahead of PSG as Mikel Arteta Champions League approach clear

Inside Arsenal dressing room ahead of PSG as Mikel Arteta Champions League approach clear Newspoint | 29/04/2025 08:39:19

insists are "ready" to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and feels there are "no excuses" heading into Tuesday's semi-final first-leg. The Gunners host PSG at the Emirates Stadium before travelling to the Parc des Princes for the second leg eight days later.

Arsenal last played in a semi-final in 2009 and their only appearance in the final of Europe's elite club competition came three years earlier against Barcelona.

While the have still got to face PSG and the winner of the other semi-final tie between Inter Milan and Barcelona, they are just three wins away from European glory.

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And Lewis-Skelly, who has enjoyed a fine breakthrough season in north London, says the Gunners are raring to go and prepared to tackle PSG for a place in next month's Munich final.

"As a team, we are prepared and we are ready," Lewis-Skelly told Sky Sports. "We are in good form currently and we are excited to play PSG because they are in good form too.

"It will be a good challenge for us because they are in good form and have a full team out. There are no excuses going into the game. We are ready."

Lewis-Skelly, 18, was handed his senior debut as a second-half substitute during . Three days later, he was given his first senior start against Bolton Wanderers.

Since then, Lewis-Skelly has established himself as an important member of the Arsenal team, having started both quarter-final matches against Real Madrid, as well as 12 fixtures this season.

And Lewis-Skelly's rise has a lot to do with Gunners head coach . The teenager praised Arteta's tactical nous and admitted there is so much to learn from his manager.

"His attention to detail is incredible," he added. "I love to learn so learning from him and the way he handles and approaches the games, it's fascinating. There's so much I can take from him. He's a genius really."

Despite coming through the Arsenal academy as a midfielder, Lewis-Skelly has been used at left-back for the most part this season.

"It's been a smooth process because I love to learn and I love to improve," he said. "That pursuit of learning every day and to grow, I love to ask questions. If I don't know the answer yet I'll make sure to ask the question.

"It was a smooth process for me because obviously I'm a midfielder by trade, but the position wasn't unnatural to me. "I've enjoyed it."