Arsenal face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final tonight, with Mikel Arteta’s side chasing their first ever European title in Budapest.
The Gunners have never lifted Europe’s top club competition, while PSG are aiming to retain the trophy after thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 in last season’s final.
Arsenal have not lost in the Champions League this season and have conceded just six goals throughout the campaign.
PSG have been ruthless in attack, scoring 44 goals across the competition and averaging 2.75 goals per match heading into the final.
football.london writer Tom Canton believes Arsenal must survive the early stages, pointing to how Ousmane Dembele scored quickly in last season’s semi-final between the two sides.
Canton argues that winning the midfield battle through superior physicality will be key, with the pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel potentially making the difference in both boxes.
Canton also highlights that the Gunners were without that defensive pairing when the sides met last season, and a set-piece goal could prove to be a decisive factor.
Canton predicts an Arsenal victory, backing the Gunners to shut PSG out and win 1-0 on the night.
Sam Truelove points to the mood inside the Arsenal camp following their Premier League title win last Sunday as a major factor in their favour heading into the final.
Truelove does warn that PSG’s 5-4 win over Bayern Munich in the semi-final first leg demonstrated both their attacking brilliance and defensive vulnerabilities in equal measure.
He believes Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could score a goal or two for PSG, and that Vitinha “just has a knack of scoring in big games,” backing the French side to win 3-1.
Isaac Seelochan argues that Arsenal’s compact, disciplined style of play, though heavily criticised this season, could work in their favour against a PSG side that will dominate possession.
Seelochan also notes that only Real Madrid have retained the Champions League, having won it three times in succession between 2016 and 2018, making PSG’s task historically rare.
He believes PSG can be exploited defensively, as demonstrated by Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, and backs Arsenal to nick it, predicting a 2-1 win for the Gunners.
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