"It's a dream to be here, we deserve it" Martinelli ahead of UCL semi-final against PSG｜Saka｜Arsenal

"It's a dream to be here, we deserve it" said Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli on Monday as he spoke ahead of their first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain. With the ‘Gunners’ not in action over the past weekend, Mikel Arteta has had the relative luxury of six days' preparation for one of the biggest matches in the club's history. Arsenal last played in the last four of European football's elite club competition in 2009 and have only made the final once before, when they were beaten by Barcelona at the Stade de France in Paris in 2006. They will go into the PSG game with some confidence though, having put out Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in the previous round and Arsenal beat PSG 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium as recently as October last year, in the re-vamped league phase of this season's competition. However, Arteta's team still have their problems, especially in attack, less so in defence. Up front, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are still missing through injury, as is key central defender Gabriel, although Jakub Kiwior proved a more than capable deputy over both legs against Real Madrid. Arteta may spring a surprise or two, but it's thought that in the absence of the suspended Tomas Partey, the Arsenal boss will bring makeshift centre forward Mikel Merino back into midfield and play Leandro Trossard through the middle, flanked by Gabriel Martinelli and the talisman of the team, Bukayo Saka.