Meet the Champions League semi-finalists

The knockout phase of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League is continuing at pace with only four teams still standing in the competition on the road to Munich.

UEFA.com profiles all the remaining contenders.

UEFA coefficient rankings are correct as of the end of 29 April.

Arsenal (ENG)

League phase: W6 D1 L1 F16 A3 (3rd place)
Round of 16: PSV 9-3 agg (7-1 a, 2-2 h)
Quarter-final: Real Madrid 5-1 agg (3-0 h, 2-1 a)
Semi-final first leg: 0-1 vs Paris h
Next: vs Paris a, semi-final second leg, 07/05
UEFA coefficient ranking: 11
Top Fantasy Football points scorer: Declan Rice (69)
Best European Cup performance: Runners-up (2005/06)
Last season: Quarter-finals (2-3 agg vs Bayern)

UEFA.com Arsenal reporter Joe Terry: Aside from a 1-0 loss at Inter on Matchday 4, Arsenal's league phase performance was nigh on exemplary. Built on the tournament's second-best defence, the goals started to flow more freely at the other end after the 5-1 win away to Sporting CP, which was followed by 3-0 home victories over Monaco and GNK Dinamo. They continued that upward trajectory as their knockout phase campaign began with a remarkable 9-3 aggregate victory over PSV in the round of 16. But a memorable 3-0 quarter-final first-leg victory at home to Real Madrid was the best of the lot, before they won 2-1 at the Bernabéu to secure a stunning 5-1 aggregate triumph against the reigning champions and reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2008/09. Mikel Arteta's side will need more heroics at Parc des Princes, though, after a 1-0 home defeat to Paris in the first leg of their final four encounter left them with it all to do.

Why they can win the competition
Arsenal have reserved their best performances for the Champions League this season, recording some notable scalps like the league phase 2-0 win at home against a resurgent Paris and the jaw-dropping 7-1 victory away to PSV in the round of 16. That triumph over Real Madrid will go down in the history books, and the boost in self-belief earned by beating such mighty opponents so emphatically might just sustain them all the way to the trophy.

How they play
As a pupil of Arsène Wenger and an apprentice of Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta prizes possession, pace and creativity when attacking. The triumvirate of Ben White, Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard can be particularly devastating exploiting space on the right wing. Yet in their miserly defence, with the second fewest goals conceded in the competition, alongside their set-piece dominance, this Arsenal side also harks back to the George Graham era of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Coach: Mikel Arteta
Assistant to Guardiola at Manchester City from 2016 to 2019, Arteta guided Arsenal to their 14th FA Cup in his first season in charge. After eighth and fifth-placed Premier League finishes in 2021 and 2022, Arteta's men led the way for the bulk of the 2022/23 campaign and for much of the run-in last term, but were overhauled late in proceedings by the relentless Cityzens on each occasion.

Key player: Martin Ødegaard
The Gunners are strong all over the pitch, but it is captain and playmaker Ødegaard who really makes them tick going forward. Signed in January 2021, initially on loan from Real Madrid, the 26-year-old's vision and range of passing have won him plenty of admirers in north London, and he won the club's Player of the Season award in 2023/24 after contributing 11 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.

Did you know?
Arsenal's 7-1 first-leg win at PSV made them the first team to score seven goals in an away match in the Champions League knockout phase; Bayern's 8-2 win against Barcelona in 2019/20 was at a neutral venue.

Barcelona (ESP)

League phase: W6 D1 L1 F28 A13 (2nd place)
Round of 16: Benfica 4-1 agg (1-0 a, 3-1 h)
Quarter-finals: Dortmund 5-3 agg (4-0 h, 1-3 a)
Semi-final first leg: 3-3 vs Inter h
Next: vs Inter a, semi-final second leg, 06/05
UEFA coefficient ranking: 9
Top Fantasy Football points scorer: Raphinha (130)
Best European Cup performance: Winners (1991/92, 2005/06, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2014/15)
Last season: Quarter-finals (4-6 agg vs Paris)

UEFA.com Barcelona reporter Graham Hunter: When Barcelona began the campaign going down to ten men and losing at Monaco, not even the most optimistic fan, perhaps even coach or player, would have predicted that seven confident wins would follow in their remaining league phase games. The club and their debutant coach Hansi Flick have impressed not only with their results but with the flowing, daring football they have played. A nine-goal carnival in Lisbon against Benfica on Matchday 7 will live long in the memory while a gritty round of 16 first-leg victory against the same opponents shows this Barça side can also win ugly when required. Raphinha and Lamine Yamal then displayed their class in the return with starring performances to seal progression and the duo were back among the goals in the scintillating 4-0 win over Dortmund in their quarter-final first leg which gave them the cushion required to survive a 3-1 defeat in the return. The entertainment continued in a pulsating 3-3 draw with Inter in the first leg of their semi-final tie to leave things wide open ahead of a mouthwatering trip to Stadio San Siro for the return.

Why they can win the competition
There's a famous poster of two seagulls, wings extended, appearing to float in the sky, which states Virgil's ideology: 'They can because they think they can'. This applies to Spain's league leaders. Anyone can see that they are bursting with talent, have sufficient pockets of experience and are well-coached. But, even above the sublime performances from Barça's two wingers, Yamal and Raphinha, it is the squad's unity of spirit and absolute conviction that they can do this which are most significant.

How they play
Under Flick, Barcelona are really easy to analyse and understand tactically/strategically – just hard to defeat even when you do! The team shape is always 4-2-3-1, and the most identifying idea is their very high offside line – the defence playing 50 metres, or more, from their own goal line. The attitude is always to press and harass opponents into making mistakes in areas where they cannot afford to do so. Front-foot football beautifully executed.

Coach: Hansi Flick
A thoughtful and considered coach, Flick was largely employed in behind-the-scenes roles until he was appointed interim Bayern boss in 2019. He immediately guided the club to a German Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League treble, winning the UEFA Men's Coach of the Year award. After further domestic success the next season, Flick sought a new challenge in charge of Germany's national team but left that position following a group stage exit at the 2022 World Cup. Flick became the third German coach in Barcelona's history after joining in May.

Key player: Lamine Yamal
Following a triumphant and record-breaking EURO 2024 with Spain, teenager Yamal has cemented his status as one of the most exciting players in the world. He became the youngest-ever player to appear in the Champions League knockout stage when fielded in the round of 16 first leg against Napoli last season aged 16 years 223 days, and he has broken several other international records since. A generational talent.

Did you know?
This is the first time two Barcelona players – Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha – have scored six goals or more in a Champions League campaign since Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi in 2015/16.

Inter (ITA)

League phase: W6 D1 L1 F11 A1 (4th place)
Round of 16: Feyenoord 4-1 agg (2-0 a, 2-1 h)
Quarter-finals: Bayern 4-3 agg (2-1 a, 2-2 h)
Semi-final first leg: 3-3 vs Barcelona a
Next: vs Barcelona h, semi-final second leg, 06/05
UEFA coefficient ranking: 6
Top Fantasy Football points scorer: Denzel Dumfries (72)
Best European Cup performance: Winners (1963/64, 1964/65, 2009/10)
Last season: Round of 16 (2-2 agg vs Atlético de Madrid, 2-3 pens)

UEFA.com Inter reporter Paolo Menicucci: Simone Inzaghi's Inter have established themselves among the European elite in recent years and confirmed their solidity by conceding only one goal in eight league phase games before managing yet another clean sheet in the round of 16 first-leg win at Feyenoord, going on to progress 4-1 on aggregate. The 3-5-2 system with Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco pushing on down the flanks is well-oiled, much like the attacking partnership between Marcus Thuram and captain Lautaro Martínez. Even though the goals did not flow in the league phase (four 1-0 victories) – a contrast to Serie A where the Nerazzurri scored 55 in their first 21 games – they saw off Feyenoord in clinical fashion before a fantastic performance at Bayern earned a 2-1 first-leg win in the first leg of their quarter-final. It was nervy at times, but they just about got over the line with a 2-2 draw at a delirious Stadio San Siro to finish the job. We saw a new side to Inter in the thrilling 3-3 against Barcelona, where they finally displayed defensive frailties but made up for it with some devastating attacking play. Bring on the second leg!

Why can they win the competition?
Inter have been playing with the same system for several years under Inzaghi now and everything seems established regardless of who is in the starting XI. Thuram has grown, particularly since joining Inter, and seems the perfect partner for Martínez in attack. After reaching the final in 2023, Inzaghi's men have everything it takes to go all the way this term.

How they play
Inter play a 3-5-2 system with a solid back three in front of the experienced Yann Sommer, limiting opponents to only two goals in their first ten games in the competition. Denzel Dumfries and Federico Dimarco push hard on the respective flanks and Hakan Çalhanoğlu dictates the tempo from his deep-lying playmaker role. Nicolò Barella is another leader in the midfield while Henrikh Mkhitaryan brings plenty of international experience. Martínez and Thuram complement each other perfectly in attack.

Coach: Simone Inzaghi
A Serie A and three-time Coppa Italia winner as a player with Lazio, the 48-year-old also brought a domestic cup to Rome as a coach. He took over from Antonio Conte at Inter in summer 2021, winning the domestic Super Cup and Coppa Italia in his first campaign at the helm. He retained both those trophies and reached the Champions League final in 2022/23, and added a Serie A title last season.

Key player: Lautaro Martínez
The Argentina forward finished as Serie A top scorer in 2023/24 for the first time with 24 goals in 33 appearances in the division, the third campaign in a row he had registered more than 20. Best known for his relentless work rate, intelligent positioning and ice-cool finishing, Martínez continues to lead from the front as captain of the Nerazzurri.

Did you know?
Inter's run of five clean sheets in this league phase was their longest streak without conceding in their European Cup history.

Paris (FRA)

League phase: W4 D1 L3 F14 A9 (15th place)
Knockout phase play-off: Brest 10-0 agg (3-0 a, 7-0 h)
Round of 16: Liverpool 1-1 agg (aet, 4-1 on penalties) (0-1 h, 1-0 a)
Quarter-finals: Aston Villa 5-4 agg (3-1 h, 2-3 a)
Semi-final first leg: 1-0 vs Arsenal a
Next: vs Arsenal h, semi-final second leg, 07/05
UEFA coefficient ranking: 5
Top Fantasy Football points scorer: Achraf Hakimi (101)
Best European Cup performance: Runners-up (2019/20)
Last season: Semi-finals (0-2 agg vs Dortmund)

UEFA.com Paris reporter Alex Clementson: Paris struggled to hit top gear in the league phase. While wins over Girona and Salzburg boosted their challenge, their campaign became fraught with jeopardy after a dramatic late defeat at home to Atleti on Matchday 4. Luis Enrique's men have no problem fashioning chances, but converting them was their downfall until a remarkable comeback against Manchester City. After a commanding dismantling of domestic rivals Brest in the knockout phase play-offs, that same lack of clinical edge was on show again as Paris missed numerous chances in a 1-0 defeat in the first leg of their round of 16 tie with Liverpool. But they dug deep to recover at Anfield, winning 1-0 on the night before keeping their cool to triumph on penalties, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma the hero with two great saves. The Italian goalkeeper played a vital role again as they progressed to the semi-finals, making a number of key saves in the 3-2 defeat at Aston Villa that followed a 3-1 first-leg victory at Parc des Princes. An early Ousmane Dembélé strike was enough to see off Arsenal in the first leg of their final four tie in London, and Paris will now be considered favourites to reach a first final since 2020.

Why they can win the competition
Because they are arguably the form team in Europe right now. Luis Enrique's men have cantered to the Ligue 1 title, and have been equally irrepressible on the continent since their 3-0 drubbing of Salzburg on Matchday 6. Their gargantuan two-legged tie with Liverpool in the last 16 had it all, but their victory was ultimately vindicated. The Parisians left Anfield that night empowered and emboldened by the conviction that they might finally have found the right formula to win the Champions League.

How they play
Fashioning chances has never been a problem for Paris, but converting them had previously been their downfall. With that seemingly remedied, Luis Enrique has succeeded in devising one of Europe's most multi-faceted sides. Marrying metronomic midfielders capable of recycling possession and probing for space against stoic opposition structures, the Parisians also boast the athleticism and explosivity that the modern game demands. Somewhat overlooked, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho and Nuno Mendes provide the defensive foundations for those further forward to flourish.

Coach: Luis Enrique
The former Barcelona and Real Madrid player won nine trophies during a hugely successful three-year spell in charge of the Blaugrana, including two La Liga crowns and the 2014/15 Champions League. He led Spain to the EURO 2020 semi-finals and the 2021 Nations League final before succeeding Christophe Galtier at Paris in 2023, winning a domestic double and making it to the Champions League semi-finals in his first campaign and retaining the Ligue 1 crown already this.

Key player: Vitinha
The crucial ingredient that makes Paris tick, Vitinha is an elegant creative midfielder who also has a knack for popping up with important goals, as shown by a strike in each leg of the 6-4 aggregate win against Barcelona in last season's quarter-finals. He was included in the 2023/24 Champions League Team of the Season and will again play a crucial role for Paris in the knockout phase.

Did you know?
Paris became the first team to have seven different goalscorers in a Champions League match (Matchday 1 to final) in their 7-0 success against Brest.