Arsenal dijadwalkan menghadapi Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) dalam partai final Liga Champions di Stadion Puskas Arena, Budapest, Hungaria pada 30 Mei 2026. Pertandingan ini mempertemukan pertahanan terbaik milik Arsenal melawan lini serang agresif PSG yang baru saja menyingkirkan Bayern Munich.
The Gunners mencapai final kompetisi elit Eropa tersebut untuk pertama kalinya dalam 20 tahun setelah mengalahkan Atletico Madrid dengan agregat tipis. Sementara itu, PSG asuhan Luis Enrique melaju ke babak puncak dengan keunggulan agregat 6-5 atas raksasa Jerman, Bayern Munich, pada Rabu malam.
Manajer Arsenal, Mikel Arteta, memuji ketangguhan barisan pertahanannya yang mampu meredam tekanan lawan sepanjang babak gugur. Keberhasilan ini didorong oleh aksi krusial bek tengah Gabriel dan William Saliba di depan gawang David Raya.
"There are moments in the Champions League when somebody has to deliver a magic moment - and he delivered that again," ujar Mikel Arteta, Manajer Arsenal.
Statistik menunjukkan Arsenal telah mencatatkan sembilan clean sheet dari 14 pertandingan di Eropa musim ini, dengan hanya kebobolan dua gol dalam enam laga fase gugur. Pencapaian ini menjadi modal penting menghadapi PSG yang telah mencetak 44 gol sepanjang kampanye kontinental mereka.
"I was so impressed with PSG. Their work-rate was incredible. As much as we can be led by the statistics in talking about how PSG have got an incredible attack, you don't get this far in this competition without having something in defence as well. While we can see how special their attack is, they have worked very hard to get here as a unit and I think as the season has progressed, they have got better and better," kata Nedum Onuoha, Analis Champions League MOTD.
Legenda sepak bola Clarence Seedorf menyoroti bahwa disiplin lini belakang merupakan faktor pembeda bagi Arsenal musim ini. Mantan gelandang tersebut menilai kemampuan menjaga gawang tetap suci menjadi kunci kesuksesan tim asal London Utara itu.
"We have seen a team like Arsenal making the difference this year with so many clean sheets and coming all the way. If I had to point out one team that would be capable of bringing it home because of that capacity, it is actually Arsenal. Tell me one sport you can win without a proper defence. I don't think it exists," tutur Clarence Seedorf, Mantan Pemain.
Mantan pemain Manchester United, Owen Hargreaves, turut memberikan analisis mengenai peluang Arsenal. Ia menekankan kualitas kiper dan barisan bek yang dimiliki skuad Arteta saat ini sangat brilian.
"Arsenal have a chance without question - with that defence they have and the goalkeeper, they're brilliant," cetus Owen Hargreaves, Mantan Gelandang Manchester United.
Keyakinan serupa disampaikan oleh Steven Gerrard yang menyebut Arsenal memiliki fisik dan ukuran tubuh yang cukup untuk menyulitkan lawan. Ia mengingatkan bahwa tim non-unggulan tetap memiliki peluang besar di laga final.
"I know more than anyone else that an underdog can win this final - when we won with Liverpool against AC Milan it was a mismatch. Arsenal will play against a high-quality team, against an elite manager. Every player will have to be on the top of their game. They have to use their physicality, size and take PSG where they don't want go - but they certainly have a chance," papar Steven Gerrard, Mantan Gelandang Liverpool.
Menjelang laga di Budapest, Hargreaves memprediksi PSG akan tampil lebih menyerang dibandingkan saat melawan Bayern Munich. Namun, ia menilai Arsenal yang sekarang merupakan tim yang berbeda dan lebih matang.
"The final will be fascinating. PSG will be more attacking than they were against Bayern, but this is a different Arsenal now," tukas Owen Hargreaves, Mantan Pemain.
Berdasarkan data DraftKings Sportsbook, PSG saat ini menjadi tim favorit dengan odds -145 untuk meraih gelar juara beruntun. Sedangkan Arsenal berada pada posisi underdog dengan odds +120 untuk mengangkat trofi Liga Champions pertama mereka.
