Arsenal stand on the brink of history as they prepare to face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday, with Mikel Arteta’s side aiming to complete a remarkable rise back to the summit of European football.
Fresh from securing their first Premier League title in 22 years after edging out Manchester City, Arsenal have finally shaken off their long-standing “nearly men” reputation. Now, they have the opportunity to crown an unforgettable season with the club’s first-ever Champions League trophy.
Victory in Budapest would elevate this Arsenal side alongside — and potentially beyond — Arsene Wenger’s legendary 2003-04 Invincibles team.
Standing in their way, however, is a PSG side widely regarded as one of the most complete teams in Europe. Under Luis Enrique, the French champions have blended attacking flair with tactical intelligence and relentless work ethic, making them formidable opponents.
Arsenal head into the final as slight underdogs, much like they did in their only previous Champions League final appearance in 2006, when they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Barcelona.
Yet there is growing belief that this Arsenal team is built for football’s biggest stage.
While critics have questioned their pragmatic style and reliance on defensive discipline and set-pieces, Arsenal’s results speak for themselves. The famous chant of “1-0 to the Arsenal” has returned with renewed meaning under Arteta.
The Gunners recorded eight 1-0 victories in the Premier League this season and kept 19 clean sheets domestically. In Europe, they have been even more impressive defensively, conceding just six goals and keeping a competition-high nine clean sheets across 14 unbeaten Champions League matches.
Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson believes the opening goal could decide the final.
“The first goal is going to be key,” Merson said ahead of the showdown.
“PSG will be worried about going 1-0 down to Arsenal because they’ll know how difficult it is to break them down.”
Arsenal’s journey back to Europe’s elite has not been straightforward. After their 2006 final defeat, the club reached the semifinals in 2009 before enduring seven consecutive last-16 exits and five seasons without Champions League football altogether.
When Arteta returned as manager in 2019, rebuilding Arsenal into European contenders was always going to take time. But the progress since then has been undeniable.
Two years ago, Arsenal narrowly lost to Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals. Last season, they fell to PSG in the semifinals after two tightly contested matches — a defeat that Arteta said would fuel the squad’s hunger to conquer Europe.
Now, they have the chance for redemption.
One more victory would not only secure Arsenal’s first Champions League title but complete one of the club’s greatest modern transformations — from nearly men to kings of Europe.
