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Whilst PSG’s wide men strike fear into any opposition, Arsenal have their own world class threat on the wing in Bukayo Saka. The England international has averaged more shots on target than any other Gunners player this season and has been especially prolific in the Champions League, managing 2.24 efforts on target per 90. He hit the target three times across the two meetings last season, including a goal in the second leg and will have watched Bayern Munich cut PSG apart with ease, knowing he’s more than capable of doing the same.

Luis Enrique’s side have been more concerned with scoring goals than keeping them out in this competition all season, and as such are giving up 4.19 shots on target per game against Europe’s elite. Bayern Munich managed 14 attempts on target across their semi-final matches, and with their wingers responsible for five of those, there’s every reason to believe Saka can have a say in the outcome of this final.

Declan Rice has shared corner kick duties with Bukayo Saka this season, with the Englishman typically delivering in-swingers from the left side. Rice also carries the greater responsibility when it comes to free kicks, and he needs just one more assist to reach double figures for the season - he currently has nine assists from his 54 appearances across all competitions. 

Last season, Rice recorded 10 assists, and nine the season before that, which highlights just how consistent his contributions have been in the final third. Since his debut for Arsenal in August 2023, only Hakan Calhanoglu of Inter Milan has more dead ball assists than Rice across Europe's big five leagues. 

Rice usually delivers the ball in with pinpoint accuracy, and Mikel Arteta will hope his midfielder can replicate that on Saturday night on the biggest stage.

In the tougher matchups against elite sides, Arsenal have a tendency to be more pragmatic in their approach and more reliant on set pieces. The Gunners scored 25 set piece goals in the 25/26 campaign, more than any other team in the Premier League, which shows just how devastating they can be from dead ball scenarios. Their average of 5.68 corners per game in the league was not exceptionally high, but they did clear this line against Man City, Liverpool and Man United throughout the campaign.

When the sides met in the Champions League semi-final last season, Arsenal managed six corners in the second leg at the Parc des Princes. Inter Milan also recorded six corners against PSG in the final last year, despite that game being a thrashing, which shows how the Parisians can allow their opponents to break forward.

William Saliba has been a Rolls-Royce at the back for Arsenal this season, and he has had an exceptional campaign. The Frenchman has been one of the most consistent centre backs in Europe, and he was afforded a rest by Mikel Arteta at the weekend against Crystal Palace.

Saliba is averaging 0.91 fouls per 90 across all competitions this campaign, which is nothing to write home about, but that figure rises considerably when playing in the Champions League. That number climbs to 1.36 fouls per 90 in Europe, which shows how he usually has much more defensive work to get through. In fact, Saliba has landed this selection in six of his last nine starts in the Champions League, including four of the last five when playing away from the Emirates Stadium.

Vitinha was responsible for missing a penalty against Arsenal last season, although that ultimately didn’t prove costly in the end as PSG progressed. The Portuguese will be eager to atone for that mistake this weekend, and he has seen an uptick in shots this season. 

Vitinha is averaging 1.8 shots per 90 across all competitions for PSG this term, with that figure rising even further to 2.44 when he has played in the Champions League. That is one of the highest figures in the PSG squad, and Ousmane Dembele and Kvaratskhelia are the only two players who have scored more goals than him on the European stage this term. Vitinha has shown more of a willingness to get into promising shooting positions and let fly when the space opens up. 36% of his attempts in the Champions League have hit the target, which shows how he tends to be efficient when chances fall to his feet. 

Nuno Mendes is considerably more comfortable going forward than he is at defending, and he tends to struggle when playing against better opponents. Nuno Mendes has been booked three times in the Champions League this season - against Barcelona in the league phase, against Bayern Munich in the league phase, and then against Bayern again in the semi-final second leg. All three were tough matchups against a tricky winger, and Saka fits that category. 

However, Saka was shown a yellow card in both of the head-to-head meetings against PSG last season, picking up exactly two fouls in both matches. He is averaging 1.21 fouls per 90 across all competitions this season, which shows how he often drops deeper to help out his full back defensively, and he will have plenty of work to get through against Nuno Mendes and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the wing.

In addition to his contributions in the final third, Saka has been one of the most difficult players to contain on his flank - he likes to dribble and take on his opposing full back, and Saka was fouled three times by Burnley in his last start. That takes his average to 2.0 fouls drawn per 90 across all competitions this season. Saka will find duels against Nuno Mendes out wide this weekend, and that is a matchup to keep an eye on. 

The Portuguese full back was given a difficult time in Paris against Arsenal last season - he committed three fouls and was carded. Even though he did not register a foul in the reverse fixture at the Emirates, he still recorded five tackles in that game, which shows how heavily involved he was defensively, and that should be the case again here in Budapest.

There were four yellow cards shown in the first leg between the sides last season, and six in the second leg  - it was two feisty affairs, and Arsenal accounted for six of those bookings. Five yellow cards were dished out in the Champions League final last season as well, when PSG were involved, despite the game not being much of a contest. Tensions tend to be raised in those fixtures, especially with it being the last game of the European season. 

There have been at least four cards shown in each of the last three editions of the Champions League final, and it is a market to target again this weekend. PSG have drawn at least two cards in seven of their eight European fixtures on their travels this campaign, while Arsenal are averaging 2.0 cards per game when playing away from home in the Champions League this season.

PSG come into this clash as favourites to lift the trophy, as they have the pedigree in the competition, having won it last season. They did it in imperious style, too, dismantling Inter Milan 5-0 in the final. PSG have been transformed into a complete squad under Luis Enrique, and they are likely to go with a very similar starting XI to last season.

Arsenal look like a tougher matchup than Inter on paper, but PSG have every reason to be confident as they progressed past the Gunners in the Champions League semi-final last season. PSG won both matches - the first leg finished 1-0 at the Emirates, before they came away with a 2-1 win in the second leg in Paris. The French side have been dominant in their Champions League knockout matches this season, and they have eliminated some top-tier opponents.

Many pundits expect this game to be decided by which of the two central midfield trios can control the match, and Joao Neves will be heavily involved for PSG in this battle. The Portugal international has committed 0.88 fouls per 90 in the Champions League this season, with at least one offence in seven of his last nine starts. He was whistled five times across last season’s semi-final clashes between these teams, and so hopefully catches the attention of the officials again. 

Up against Neves will likely be Arsenal’s midfield combination of Declan Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Eberechi Eze, who, between them, have been fouled 4.15 times per 90 across all competitions this season. PSG will be keen to prevent the likes of Eze and Lewis-Skelly from impacting the tempo of the game, and this may well result in a cynical foul or two from Neves.

Despite PSG being favourites to retain their crown, Arsenal should offer plenty of resistance in the final third, and if they are to lift the trophy for the first time in the club’s history, set pieces could be key. The Gunners are the kings of dead ball situations, having scored four more goals from them than any other Premier League side and have five set play goals to their name in the Champions League. 18% of the goals that PSG have conceded in this competition have come from set plays, and so there could be a weakness for Arsenal to exploit.

Gabriel is undoubtedly the biggest threat from restarts of any of Mikel Arteta’s men, emphasised well by his record of 0.86 shots per 90 this season across all competitions. The majority of Arsenal’s well-coordinated set-piece routines are designed to get the Brazilian a free run at the ball, and after missing last season’s semi-final against PSG, he’ll be desperate to make his mark. 

Another key player in the final third who Arsenal will need to keep under control is Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, whose pacey dribbling has lit up this year’s competition. The Georgian is in fantastic form with six goals in his last seven appearances for the Parisian club, and is the third top scorer in the Champions League with 10 goals from an average of 1.53 shots on target per game. 

This bet would have cashed in each of Kvaratskhelia’s last eight appearances in the competition, a period across which he’s found the target on 12occasions. Arsenal’s injury issues at right back may also mean he’s up against Cristhian Mosquera, who is a centre back by trade, and if so, our man can have a field day. 

If the Gunners are to become the latest team to be seen off by the European champions, Desire Doue is likely to play a key role in their downfall. The winger is one of the most dangerous players in world football and has been fantastic in this competition, netting five times. Across all competitions, he’s working the goalkeeper 1.27 times per game and having landed this bet in both games of the semi-final between the teams last season, he should be full of confidence. 

Having mentioned Arsenal’s defensive record already in this competition, it’s worth also noting that they’re giving up 2.79 shots on target per game, including 12 in their last four matches. The aforementioned previous meetings from last season saw PSG hit the target 10 times, and if they manage a similar total, Doue is likely to be involved.

Portuguese midfielder Joao Neves has had another stellar season for PSG and has averaged 1.75 shots per 90 across all competitions. He’s managed 13 efforts at goal in his last eight starts in the Champions League, including a goal in that crazy semi-final first leg with Bayern Munich and with plenty of shots from outside the box this season, he doesn’t need much encouragement to pull the trigger. 

For all their defensive solidity in the Premier League, Arsenal have found it more difficult to keep the opposition out in European action, conceding 11 shots per game. The Gunners also arrive at this game after a week of celebrations, having finally got over the line in the league, and so may find it difficult to hold off a rampant PSG team in attack.

Having recovered from injury, Riccardo Calafiori looks set to start on the left side of Mikel Arteta’s backline. The Italian has had a stop-start campaign due to fitness issues, but has drawn 1.35 offences per 90 in the Champions League. If he needs to be withdrawn again here, his most likely replacement is Myles Lewis-Skelly, who is an expert at forcing late contact and could land a ‘Sub On, Play On’ winner if necessary. 

Desire Doue will be Calafiori’s direct opponent here, and with the French sensation committing 1.91 fouls per 90 across all competitions, there should be plenty of opportunities to go down. Across PSG’s last four games in this competition, opposition left backs have been fouled six times, and with Arsenal likely to look to slow the game down, Calafiori will happily go over if offered the chance. 

Having put his body on the line on multiple occasions to keep out opposition attacks, it should perhaps come as no surprise that passionate centre back Gabriel has been fouled 1.22 times per game in Champions League action this season. The Brazilian loves a physical battle and often gets the better of his direct opponent, usually forcing a frustrated challenge from them as he has done so 11 times in his last seven starts in the competition. 

Gabriel will likely be marshalling Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue, who, between them, combine for 2.61 fouls per 90 in the Champions League. Arsenal’s leader at the back didn’t play in either meeting last season and will need no encouragement to wind up PSG’s attackers and get in their heads as he has done to so many opposing forwards this season.

Speaking of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the PSG winger is one of the most in-form attacking players in world football and has a reputation as one of the most fouled players in the game. The agile Georgian loves to dribble at his man and has drawn 2.47 offences per 90 in this competition this season, whilst he was fouled four times across the previous two meetings with Arsenal.

Key to this selection is that injuries to Ben White and Jurrien Timber may force Mikel Arteta to go with Cristhian Mosquera at right back. The Spaniard is a central defender by trade and will struggle to cope with one-on-one battles with Kvaratskhelia in a physical mismatch, where we can expect at least a couple of late challenges to be forced.

Sticking with the theme of the midfield battleground, the passionate approach of Declan Rice makes him a strong candidate for at least one offence. Arsenal’s number 41 will want to set the tone early, snapping into challenges, something which has seen him commit eight fouls in his last seven starts. Rice averages 0.95 infringements per 90 in European action and was booked in his previous start against PSG to add further encouragement to this selection. 

PSG’s midfield trio of Joao Neves, Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz are a well-oiled machine that know how to get their team over the line in this competition, and they draw 3.01 fouls per 90 between them in Europe. Rice should also see plenty of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia down his side of the pitch, too, and the agile Georgian is more than capable of winning a free kick off him.