Arsene Wenger has declared that Arsenal “deserve” to win the Champions League, describing the trophy as a “missing” piece of the club’s history.

The former Arsenal manager, who now serves as FIFA’s head of global development, says he is backing Mikel Arteta’s side to lift the trophy on Saturday against Paris Saint-Germain.

Wenger led Arsenal to the Champions League final back in 2006, only for the Gunners to suffer a heartbreaking defeat against Barcelona.

That final saw goalkeeper Jens Lehmann sent off, leaving Arsenal reduced to ten men for much of the match despite taking a 1-0 lead.

Barcelona mounted a comeback in the closing stages to deny Wenger’s side the trophy they had come so close to winning.

Wenger told UEFA: “I want this trophy to go to the Emirates because it’s missing there. We touched it before — we were thirteen minutes away from winning it — so you want it to happen this time.”

He added: “I still believe it’s fifty-fifty in the final, and if I had to bet, I would bet on Arsenal more than on Paris Saint-Germain.”

Wenger reflected on the long journey the club has taken to reach this stage of European football’s premier competition.

“I feel the club deserves it, this season deserves it and the consistency of the team deserves it. When I arrived at Arsenal, the club had very little Champions League history,” he said.

He pointed to the sustained period of qualification the club enjoyed during his tenure as a foundation for what could follow now.

“Then we had 20 consecutive years of qualification, and now the crown of that history would be to become champions,” Wenger stated.

The legendary manager also believes Arsenal’s broader domestic ambitions should not be overlooked heading into this pivotal moment for the club.

“I think Arsenal have slowly built a history that now allows them to win it. I also feel the time has come for Arsenal to dominate the Premier League consistently,” he said.

Wenger also stressed his belief that this Arsenal squad, under Arteta, has earned the right to be considered genuine contenders for European glory.

“I’ve always said that you work in a club to make sure it’s in a good position to continue to progress. Overall, I believe this is a stage where we can grab it,” he concluded.

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