Odegaard Remains Confident Arsenal Can Overcome PSG Deficit

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard remains optimistic about his team’s chances of overcoming a 1-0 deficit against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the UEFA Champions League semifinals. Despite losing the first leg at the Emirates Stadium, Odegaard believes Arsenal can still make it to the final.

“We are only at half-time after Tuesday’s match against Paris Saint-Germain, and we all have the feeling that we can still beat them and go through,” Odegaard said on (link unavailable) “We had a tricky start in the match, with their early goal meaning they could open the game up. They were really strong and made it difficult for us at the beginning, but I thought we found our way back into the game really well and started to take control after that.”

Odegaard highlighted the fine margins that can decide matches at this level. “The first leg showed that matches at this level are decided by such fine margins. The offside goal was millimetres and overall there was not much dividing the teams. Look back at the first leg against Real Madrid. We had two incredible moments with the free-kicks, and that completely changed the game and the whole momentum. You need those moments to go for you because every game lives its own life.”

Despite the deficit, Odegaard remains confident about Arsenal’s chances. “So we’re one goal behind, but we are confident we can go there and do it. Our away record is really good in Europe. We can take the confidence from what we did at the Bernabeu a couple of weeks ago into our game in Paris. We beat Real Madrid away when they were really on it and needed to score goals, so that shows we are capable of anything.”

Odegaard also emphasized the importance of today’s match against Bournemouth. “Today’s game against Bournemouth is also really important in the league – we have to win for our position in the league, and we want a big game like this because it keeps our focus high. It’s a bit of a different challenge but it’s important for us to get back to winning ways, not only to take a good feeling into next week, but also because we want to finish as high as we can.”

Odegaard concluded by reiterating Arsenal’s determination to progress. “Obviously it hurts that we can no longer finish top, we wanted to fight to the end, and it’s a big disappointment for us, but our new target is to make sure we at least finish second. We have to go there with that same mindset. To be honest, I think it would have been the same if it were the other way round and we were leading 1-0. We would still want to go to Paris and win. So let’s remember that it’s only half-time and we still have a big chance to go through.”

With their upcoming match against Bournemouth and the second leg against PSG looming, Arsenal will be looking to regain their winning form and make a strong statement in the Champions League semifinals. Odegaard’s comments suggest that the team remains focused and determined to achieve their goals, both in the league and in Europe.