Joao Neves was one of the stars of the show for Paris Saint-Germain as they beat Arsenal 1-0 in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final.
The PSG midfielder might be diminutive in stature but as the Gunners experienced, he is a master at winning the ball back and keeping his side defensively secure in the middle of the park.
Arsenal have a massive task on their hands as they aim to overturn their 1-0 deficit at the Parc des Princes in the second leg.
But for the time being, PSG are in the lead against Arsenal, which would delight Joao Neves as he was truly masterful at the Emirates Stadium.
Joao Neves says PSG dressing room knows ‘it’s not over’ despite beating Arsenal
Neves hailed Arsenal’s midfield ahead of the contest and as a result, the PSG linchpin has every right to be proud of his latest exploits.
After the contest, Neves was quizzed about how the PSG dressing room have reacted to coming out on top against Arsenal away from home.
The 20-year-old revealed via Maxi Foot that the Parisians are not getting carried away: “We know very clearly that it’s not over, it’s half-time in both games. We did our best, I’m happy. But it’s not yet a party in the locker room because we know there’s one more game to go.”
When Neves was asked whether there were any doubts within the PSG camp about getting a result against Arsenal in the second leg, he replied: “No, we know that we’re a very good team, that if we put our game together and are focused, it will be the best way to achieve our goals.”
“It’s good to be in this situation. You have to know how to suffer but that’s football.”
Arsenal’s one advantage over PSG in the Champions League semi-final second leg
The Parc des Princes is a cauldron and Mikel Arteta will have to deliver a tactical masterclass to book a place in the Champions League final.
However, the Ligue 1 champions’ recent 3-1 defeat to Nice at home suggests they can be got at while playing in the French capital.
What Neves and his PSG teammates will be hoping is that Ousmane Dembele’s hamstring injury against Arsenal is not too serious.
In case Dembele is ruled out of the clash, it could well be game over for the hosts next week.
It is important to state that PSG are far from being a one-man team.
However, Dembele has been their best player this season and in the absence of their biggest difference-maker against Arsenal, it is impossible to deny the visitors will not have an advantage over their opponents in Paris.
