There is a lot on the line when Arsenal face Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday’s Champions League final.
Maybe this is the year that the Gunners eventually land the elusive trophy.
The closest they came was 20 years ago, when Arsene Wenger’s men suffered a painful 2-1 loss to Barcelona in Paris.
Maybe PSG will be the first team to win the Champions League back-to-back in its new league phase format.
Luis Enrique’s men will also be the second side to successfully retain the trophy after Real Madrid.
It goes without saying that these are probably the best two teams in Europe this season.
“At the moment, I believe they’re the best two teams in Europe this season,” Ope Adebari, a sports analyst, reporter and producer with News Central, tells DAILY POST.
“I believe this clash is between the best two teams in attacking PSG) and defending (Arsenal).
“Also, we will witness a tactical masterclass from two top coaches in Mikel Arteta and Luis Enrique.”
Indeed, it will be a slugfest between two of the finest managers in world football at the moment.
Many have already dubbed it as a clash between two contrasting styles – attack vs defence.
“It’s a very tough game to predict,” Adebari said.
“Honestly, the result could go either way.
“However, Arsenal looks like a team fired up with a point to prove.
“Also, with the experience of facing PSG three times in the 2024/25 Champions League campaign, you would like to think that Arsenal are well prepared to face PSG.
“I believe PSG are solely motivated by the ambition to win back to back Champions League trophies and it might not be enough to break the will of the Gunners who just clinched their first league title in 22 years.”
Sadly, only one team will get their hands on the trophy at the end of Saturday night.
Winning it for the first time and defending it are both as hard, but one team will overcome their difficulty.
“From what I have witnessed in football for the last two decades, it is much more difficult to retain the title than winning it,” Adebari said.
“There’s always enough hunger and ambition to win it the first time. The team might not be as motivated to do it again.
“The rare example we have of a team that has successfully retained it was the Real Madrid team under Zinedine Zidane.
“I think it’s fair to say that his Madrid team were in their prime and were highly motivated by the French football legend himself.”