Liverpool and Aston Villa found it just as difficult to retain possession against PSG in the knockout rounds, and although both Premier League teams fared better in their respective home legs, they still couldn’t find a way past the Parisians.

The primary problem is dealing with PSG’s pressing. As Luis Enrique has proudly pointed out, whenever the ball is lost, his players never stop trying to win it back. To illustrate the point, seven players have won possession more than 68 times in this season’s Champions League, and five of them play for PSG: Achraf Hakimi, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Nuno Mendes and Willian Pacho. Unsurprisingly, Neves and Vitinha rank joint-first among midfielders, alongside Joshua Kimmich.

Neves has also won more tackles than any other player (31), while only Bayern Munich’s Kimmich has completed more passes than Vitinha, whom Luis Enrique is now touting as the best No.6 in the world – and with some degree of justification.

When Luis Enrique was asked to name PSG’s player of the season for 2023-24, it was widely expected that he would plump for Mbappe. However, he instead singled out Vitinha. “If you add up his qualities as a footballer, he is the best in the team,” the manager told reporters last year. “All of the players are good, but he is exceptional.”

And the crazy thing is that he’s arguably been even more influential this season, with the 25-year-old having emerged as real captain material, not only for the way in which he dictates the game for PSG but also his leadership skills. It was Vitinha, remember, who declared after the 1-0 loss at home to Liverpool that PSG would go to Anfield and win.

Of course, Vitinha has been greatly aided by the addition of Neves, whom he says is “so easy to play alongside”. It was clear during his breakout season at Benfica that the then-teenager was a player of enormous potential, which is why so many of Europe’s richest clubs, including Manchester United, were linked with Neves. However, it was PSG who actually stumped up the cash to sign a player who grew up idolising Andres Iniesta, and their €70 million (£60m/$80m) signing is already looking like a bargain buy after settling so quickly into his new surroundings.

“Neves’ attributes and abilities were evident at Benfica; we could see he was going to be a very important player for us,” the former Barcelona boss said. “But maybe the adaptation period was faster than expected – usually it takes longer.

“But his characteristics match our ideas of playing with the ball and our ability to defend. That’s exactly what we’re looking for: players who are good with the ball and good in defence, and that’s what he is.”

Of course, the still strangely underrated Fabian Ruiz is just as effective in and out of possession as Vitinha and Neves. There are no real weaknesses in the Spain star’s game. As La Roja coach Luis de la Fuente stated during last summer’s Euro 2024 triumph, Ruiz is one of those rare talents that “knows how to do everything well at all times”.

He did make a predictably sluggish start to the season due to his exploits in Germany, but has been back to his best in recent months, and it’s worth remembering that a player that has been repeatedly linked with Arteta’s Arsenal in the past was on the bench when PSG lost at the Emirates back in October.

However, Ruiz is almost certain to start on Tuesday for a team that bears little resemblance to the one which was rather easily swept aside on their last visit to north London.

Arsenal are, of course, entitled to argue that they’ve come a long way themselves since then, and despite losing several key men through injury too. But Partey’s senseless suspension is a major problem for the Gunners.

“I think they’re really going to miss him,” Walcott said, “because the game is all going to be about the midfield.” And, in this season’s Champions League, there’s been none better than PSG’s.