PSG vs. Arsenal: Mikel Arteta told to repeat 2020 Man City trick in Champions League final

As Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal hole for conflict successful the 2025-26 Champions League final, present is however the Sports Mole experts expect the Budapest showdown to go.

Ben Knapton, Site Coordinator: 'Man City 2020 FA Cup repeat'

I deliberation of this crippled arsenic the 2020 FA Cup semi-final betwixt Arsenal and Man City.

It was close successful the archetypal six months of Arteta's tenure, helium acceptable up successful a 3-4-3, Arsenal had their backs against the partition for beauteous overmuch each of that crippled and someway nicked a 2-0 win.

I deliberation they're going to person to bash thing rather akin present if they're going to someway look arsenic European champions.

My main interest for this 1 is the close backmost spot. There's nary Ben White, and Jurrien Timber has been retired for 2 months.

There is anticipation that helium volition beryllium fit, but adjacent then, if he's been retired for 2 months helium mightiness conscionable beryllium 70% oregon 80%. For maine he's 1 of the champion 1v1 defenders successful Europe, but that's erstwhile he's afloat fit.

If you're putting him up against [Khvicha] Kvaratskhelia erstwhile he's not wholly ready, that could beryllium disastrous for Arsenal.

The alternatives are: Mosquera, who tin bash a occupation astatine right-back but it's not his earthy presumption and he's inexperienced; Declan Rice, we saw however that went astatine West Ham; oregon the chaotic paper alternate of playing William Saliba astatine close back, and past you've got Gabriel, Hincapie and Calafiori, 3 left-footers successful the backmost line.

It's a existent dilemma for Arteta to solve, but whoever is connected that close manus side, Kvaratskhelia is going to beryllium licking his lips.

On PSG's end, Hakimi suffered rather a terrible hamstring wounded against Bayern successful the semi-finals. At the clip it was stated that helium could beryllium retired for a fewer weeks.

It's looking apt that he's going to beryllium successful the squad but astir surely connected the bench, and there's nary anticipation that he'll start.

It looks similar it volition beryllium Warren Zaire-Emery astatine close back, their exigency enactment there, akin to however Arsenal had the Thomas Partey exigency enactment past year, but he's a prime one.

That past frees up the midfield of Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha and Joao Neves, which is conscionable an unthinkable trio.

There is besides interest astir Ousmane Dembele, who came disconnected with a calf interest successful PSG's past league crippled of the play against Paris FC.

When that happened, each Arsenal fans were reasoning alarm bells for PSG and that this could beryllium a monolithic boost. He came disconnected successful the 27th minute, but it's present emerged that it was chiefly precautionary. He has said himself that helium volition beryllium acceptable to start.

Not having Hakimi, who for maine is possibly the champion defender successful the world, but Nuno Mendes, Gabriel and Saliba are surely successful that conversation.

Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter: 'PSG outscoring Arsenal, not Arsenal outscoring PSG'

The goals that PSG person scored and the prime of Arsenal defensively are truly connected show, particularly successful the Champions League. You tin beryllium forgiven for dubbing this an onslaught versus defence final.

If you look astatine PSG, they are astir apt 1 of, if not the champion attacking squad successful Europe, and Arsenal person astir apt got the strongest defence successful Europe.

It's conscionable which 1 of those volition prevail connected the day. It is simply a pugnacious 1 to call, but an intriguing last nonetheless.

It's bully to spot 2 league champions coming head-to-head, truthful we should beryllium successful for a truly absorbing game. In presumption of a prediction, I'd astir apt somewhat broadside with PSG astatine the moment.

Not lone person they been present before, but they've had to bushed a batch of bully teams to get to the final. You could reason possibly that Chelsea and Liverpool are presently not beardown and not performing arsenic good arsenic they'd similar to be.

But they didn't conscionable bushed some those teams, they beat Chelsea 8-2 connected aggregate and past 4-0 against Liverpool, 2 connection wins.

And past to spell connected and bushed Bayern Munich, who for maine were my favourites to triumph the Champions League.

Will they find a mode to breach this stubborn Arsenal defence? I deliberation determination are going to beryllium goals successful this game, and I tin astir apt spot PSG outscoring Arsenal much than I tin spot Arsenal outscoring PSG. Strong onslaught versus beardown defence, it mightiness beryllium PSG successful the extremity that comes retired connected top, and we'll person to see.