PSG star Lucas: It’s been hard not to think about Arsenal

The France worldwide, 29, has made two substitute appearances for the Gunners so far this campaign. “As well, he doesn’t score that when it is 4-0, it is when you are 1-0 down, and that is his quality”.

Ahead of their meeting in the Champions League, PSG’s Unai Emery hailed Arsene Wenger’s longevity at Arsenal.

But he came through training on Monday and flew with the team to Paris. Is he ready to start? Defensive solidity and consistency has been missing from this Arsenal team for nearly a decade and Mustafi’s arrival, coupled with the acquisition of youngster Rob Holding, exemplify how Wenger has successfully strengthened in the required positions this summer. But Wenger rejected the notion that victory was essential against probably their most unsafe group opponents. So, when we win matches, there are positive press and when we lose there is criticism.

“But we want to keep giving a chance to young players and get the mixture right”.

With Valencia, he lost to Schalke in the last 16 in 2011 and then went out in the group stage a year later. “Bayern were more consistent”.

Emery said: “I’ve been at coaches’ meeting for the last five years and seen Wenger”.

“I think that PSG are very strong in midfield”.

Cech was required to make late saves from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Long’s rebound, before Giroud nodded wide, but the game took another twist in stoppage time when Fonte made contact with Giroud in the area. He played very well, because he helped us get back into the game after we started not fluent and not pacey. Which obviously, in that moment of the game, was against the run of play and we didn’t need this unlucky moment.

The French side can call on Marco Verratti, Thiago Motta and Blaise Matuidi in midfield, while Arsenal have the likes of Granit Xhaka, Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil.

David Luiz surprisingly left to return to Chelsea on transfer deadline day – against Emery’s wishes – and Edinson Cavani still struggles to convince having been handed the keys to the attack post-Zlatan.

The French champions also head the Group A outright betting at 4/7 followed by their visitors at 6/4, while they are also shorter odds to win the competition at 12/1 to 28/1 on Wenger’s men.

The clash with Arsenal is made more hard with fitness doubts over Thiago Silva, Javier Pastore, Maxwell and Layvin Kurzawa. But they have injury doubts over Javier Pastore, Maxwell and Layvin Kurzawa.