Schmeichel Critiques Saka After Arsenal’s 1-0 Loss To PSG In UCL Semi-Final

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has called out Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka following the Gunners’ 1-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday.

Schmeichel believes that the England international had a subdued performance during the match against the French team, as Arsenal let down their supporters at the Emirates Stadium.

A fourth-minute goal from Ousmane Dembele gave PSG a crucial victory, putting them in a strong position ahead of the return leg in Munich.

Despite the loss, Mikel Arteta’s side fought hard, but they couldn’t find the back of the net. Brazil’s Gabriel Martinelli forced PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma into a remarkable save just before the break.

A header by Mikel Merino in the second half was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.

On CBS Sports’ post-match analysis, Schmeichel remarked that several of Arsenal’s key players had subpar performances. When the absence of Thomas Partey was mentioned as a possible reason for the lackluster performance, Schmeichel responded, “Do you think it was only that? Because I feel it was more about several of the top players not showing up tonight.”

“I found Saka to be extremely quiet. It felt like a combination of him having a bad day and PSG keeping him under control. He seemed a bit fatigued, to be honest,” Schmeichel added. “When he had chances to challenge Nuno Mendes, he just didn’t display that signature Saka magic we’ve come to expect.”

Arsenal now face a tough task in the second leg as they travel to Paris, hoping to secure a 2-0 win over PSG and keep their Champions League dream alive.