PSG vs. Arsenal: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

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Holders Paris Saint-Germain take on newly crowned Premier League champions Arsenal in the 2026 Champions League final, staged in Budapest.

PSG are out to become just the second team since the competition’s rebranding in 1992 to retain their crown. Real Madrid, who three-peated between 2016 and 2018, are the only team to win the Champions League as holders.

The Parisians thumped Inter Milan 5–0 in last year’s final, and are now colliding with the team they bypassed to reach the showpiece event in Munich. Arsenal succumbed 3–1 on aggregate to Luis Enrique’s swashbuckling outfit in the semifinals, but have since evolved into a more rounded team emboldened by finally achieving domestic glory.

The 2025–26 season was all about the Premier League title for the Gunners, having suffered three consecutive second-place finishes. They kept their cool down the stretch to hold off Manchester City and conquer the English top flight for the first time in 22 years.

For PSG, it was business as usual domestically. Lens put up an admirable fight, but Enrique‘s men were still able to wrap up the title, their 12th in 14 years, with some comfort.

PSG vs. Arsenal Score Prediction

Parisians Defy Gunners Resilience

PSG’s fearsome frontline has spearheading their success. / Mattia Ozbot/UEFA/Getty Images

It’s a clash between PSG’s dazzling, metric-defying attackers and Arsenal’s stubborn resilience. The tactical duel between Mikel Arteta and Luis Enrique is bound to be fascinating, with the Gunners needing to find ways of compromising PSG’s heavy man-marking.

Arsenal performed pretty well over two legs in last year’s semifinal, and were ultimately undone by three excellent finishes. That’s what renders this brilliant PSG so dangerous, but they’re far from unbeatable. They, too, have suffered in spells to reach back-to-back finals, and Arsenal will almost certainly force them to weather a few storms in the Hungarian capital.

So much is at stake. We could have another first-time winner, the third of the decade, but we could also be subject to greatness. Back-to-back Champions League triumphs suddenly thrusts this PSG team into far loftier discussions.

PSG’s record vs. English clubs : Not only did PSG get the better of Arsenal in last season’s semifinal, but they’ve also made a habit of downing English opposition. They’ve won the previous five knockout ties against English clubs. Over the past two years, PSG have knocked Liverpool (twice), Aston Villa, Arsenal and Chelsea out of the Champions League.
PSG’s attacking might : “Defense wins championships” and all that, but when you’re facing up against a group of forwards who so frequently laugh in the face of data and metrics, then such phrases go out of the window. PSG have scored a mammoth 44 goals in the 2025–26 Champions League—the second most in any iteration of the competition. Arsenal’s defensive record has been absurd in Europe, but they have not encountered a juggernaut like this since Bayern Munich rocked up at the Emirates Stadium during the league phase.
Potential fatigue: In the previous 20 Champions League finals, 13 teams with more minutes in their legs went on to win. However, the disparity between minutes played between the two likely starting lineups on Saturday is almost a whopping 7,000. Arsenal at least had the chance to rest on the final day, but could the toll of an incredibly demanding season be felt at the last moment?

Prediction: PSG 2–1 Arsenal

PSG Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal

Achraf Hakimi returns for the holders. / FotMob

Achraf Hakimi suffered a hamstring injury during the all-time great encounter with Bayern Munich to kick off their semifinal, and hasn’t featured for PSG since. Midfielder Warren Zaíre-Emery has ably filled in.

The Moroccan is trending towards being fit for the final, though, having returned to team training in the week. Ousmane Dembélé has also been present during PSG’s latest preparations for Saturday. The Ballon d’Or winner has recovered from a minor issue and will certainly be in the starting XI.

Much of the PSG team picks itself, with Fabián Ruiz poised to start in midfield alongside Vitinha and João Neves. The Spaniard’s relatively recent return from a knee injury proved to be a huge boost in the second leg against Bayern, and he‘s bound to play a key role in Budapest.

Reserve goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier could miss out with a thigh issue.

PSG predicted lineup vs. Arsenal (4-3-3) : Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Vitinha, Neves, Fabián; Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia.

Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. PSG

Arteta has a big call to make at right back. / FotMob

Mikel Arteta also has a dilemma at right back, with Jurriën Timber returning to training in the week after spending two months out through injury. Perhaps the Premier League’s best at his position, Timber is capable of stymying Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on Saturday, but his lack of match sharpness means Arteta would be taking a risk by starting him.

With Ben White sidelined due to a significant knee issue, Cristhian Mosquera is the alternative.

Arsenal are otherwise healthy. Noni Madueke’s hamstring issue won’t keep him out for the final, and Mikel Merino played for the first time this calendar year at Selhurst Park last Sunday, having undergone foot surgery in January.

Myles Lewis-Skelly is set to partner Declan Rice in midfield, while Kai Havertz, who has guaranteed an Arsenal win, could be preferred to Viktor Gyökeres up top. There will only be room for one of Martin Ødegaard or Eberechi Eze, with Leandro Trossard almost certain to start wide left.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs. PSG (4-2-3-1) : Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Ødegaard, Trossard; Havertz.

What Time Does PSG vs. Arsenal Kick Off?

Location : Budapest, Hungary
Stadium : Puskás Arena
Date : Saturday, May 30
Kick-off Time : 5 p.m. BST / 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT
Referee : Daniel Siebert (GER)
VAR : Bastian Dankert (GER)

How to Watch PSG vs. Arsenal on TV, Live Stream

Country	TV Channel/Live Stream
United States	CBS, Paramount+, fuboTV, TUDN USA, DAZN USA, Univision, TUDN.com, Univision NOW, TUDN App, ViX
United Kingdom	TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate, HBO Max
Canada	DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada
Mexico	TNT Sports, FOX Mexico, Max Mexico, FOX One