Odegaard Urges Arsenal to Get Ready for Massive Game Against PSGLondon, 4 May (ONA) — Martin Odegaard urged everyone associated
with Arsenal to stick together after they warmed up for Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League semi-final showdown at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) with a
home defeat by Bournemouth.
Captain Odegaard set up Declan Rice to mark his 100th fixture for the
club with a goal after 34 minutes, but Andoni Iraola’s Cherries
fought back after the break to earn a first win at the Emirates and
complete a league double over the Gunners.
Successive losses left Arsenal full of “rage, anger and frustration”
according to boss Mikel Arteta. Odegaard insisted they must use
those emotions to overturn a one-goal deficit in midweek at the Parc
des Princes in order to keep alive their aspirations of winning a
maiden Champions League title.
Arteta’s decision to make only two changes for the visit of
Bournemouth raised eyebrows, but was maybe as a result of Manchester
City’s victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday, which closed
the gap to the second-placed Gunners to three points.
Two wins from Arsenal’s final three fixtures will secure Champions
League qualification, but with a trip to Liverpool followed by
top-five rivals Newcastle United coming to the Emirates on 18 May 2025,
there is work to be done.
Bournemouth threatened either side of Rice’s opener, but were more
clinical after the break and equalised in the 67th-minute when Dean
Huijsen headed in a long throw by substitute Antoine Semenyo.
Another replacement helped produce the winner as Alex Scott – brought
on alongside Semenyo – picked out Marcus Tavernier from a corner and
Evanilson bundled in at the back post.
VAR reviewed the incident for handball but the goal was awarded and
provided a sense of vindication for Evanilson after his red card
against Manchester United last Sunday was rescinded.— Ends/Khalid