Overview

• Arsenal enters the Champions League round-of-16 first leg against PSV Eindhoven with their Premier League title hopes diminished after a 13-point gap behind Liverpool.
• Manager Mikel Arteta emphasizes the team's defensive consistency, with Arsenal conceding only three goals in the Champions League group stage, second-best in the competition.
• Arsenal's attacking options are severely limited due to injuries to key players, including Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Kai Havertz, forcing midfielder Mikel Merino to play as a makeshift striker.
• PSV, despite recent struggles in the Eredivisie, eliminated Juventus in the previous round and remain a scoring threat, having found the net in every home game this season.
• The tie marks a crucial opportunity for Arsenal to change the narrative of their season, with players and coaches highlighting the urgency and energy of knockout-stage football.