Arsenal suffered a 1-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final on April 29, 2025, at the Emirates Stadium, prompting sharp criticism from Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney. Speaking on Amazon Prime, Rooney singled out Arsenal’s midfield trio of Martin Ødegaard, Declan Rice, and Mikel Merino, describing them as “all over the place” for leaving significant gaps that PSG exploited, particularly for Ousmane Dembele’s fourth-minute goal, which silenced the home crowd.
Rooney attributed the midfield disarray to Arsenal’s overly aggressive pressing, stating, “They are trying to press the ball at every opportunity, and they are leaving massive gaps, like you see for the first goal.” He specifically noted Rice’s positional error in vacating the space Dembele ran into, though pundit Daniel Sturridge countered that Merino failed to track back effectively, highlighting a tactical misstep. The absence of suspended midfielder Thomas Partey forced Rice into a deeper role, with Merino shifting from his recent striker position back to midfield, disrupting Arsenal’s usual cohesion.
Beyond the players, Rooney expressed disappointment with Arsenal’s supporters, accusing them of failing to replicate the electric atmosphere from their 3-0 quarter-final win over Real Madrid. “The fans against Real Madrid were absolutely fantastic… I thought tonight they did not give them that same energy,” he said, suggesting the “subdued” Emirates crowd contributed to the team‘s lackluster performance. He argued that the fans, buoyed by the Madrid victory, assumed Arsenal would “walk into the final,” and their lack of energy might have cost the team a crucial five percent boost in a high-stakes semi-final.
Despite the criticism, Rooney praised Merino’s adaptability, noting that the Spaniard, who has tallied 10 goal contributions in his last 13 games as a makeshift striker, has been “disrespected” given the challenge of switching roles. Arsenal’s injury crisis, with key attackers like Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz sidelined, has forced Merino into unfamiliar positions, yet he nearly equalized with a header ruled out for offside.
The defeat leaves Arsenal with a one-goal deficit heading into the second leg in Paris on May 7, 2025, where they will regain Partey but face uncertainty over PSG’s Dembele, who sustained a minor hamstring injury. Manager Mikel Arteta admitted post-match that his side struggled early and lacked momentum, while goalkeeper David Raya’s optimistic comments about dominating the game drew Rooney’s skepticism, with the pundit suggesting Arteta’s positivity shaped Raya’s remarks. Arsenal now face Bournemouth in the Premier League on May 3, 2025, before their critical return leg, with fans and players urged to regroup to keep their Champions League dreams alive.
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