Arsenal urged to maintain discipline against PSG in Champions League final
As the Gunners prepare to face Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, analysts point to Inter’s 5-0 defeat as a cautionary tale of pressure and indecision.
Arsenal will face Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025-26 Champions League final on Saturday, marking the north London club’s first appearance in the competition’s showpiece event in 20 years. This fixture serves as a stark contrast to the 2024-25 final, where PSG defeated Inter Milan 5-0 in Munich. While Inter’s collapse was attributed to tactical indecision and mental fragility following domestic disappointments, Arsenal enter the match with heightened confidence after securing their first Premier League title in over two decades.
PSG manager Luis Enrique has publicly praised Arsenal as the "best team in the league," acknowledging the difficulty of maintaining their position against Manchester City. The French side are back for the second year in a row, having lost to Bayern Munich in 2020 before winning the previous edition. In the modern era of the European tournament, only Real Madrid have won two consecutive Champions League titles, a feat achieved from 2015-16 to 2017-18.
Inter’s downfall in Munich was shaped by a series of costly mistakes, particularly a terrible start to the final. The Nerazzurri arrived exhausted and mentally drained after failing to win the Coppa Italia or Serie A titles, with Napoli clinching the Scudetto just one week prior. PSG took advantage of this vulnerability, scoring two goals in the opening 20 minutes through Achraf Hakimi and Desire Doue.
Inter struggled to impose their own game, repeatedly giving the ball away in dangerous midfield areas. Under Simone Inzaghi, the team had previously built attacks confidently from the back, but in the final, they lacked the composure to replicate that approach. Inzaghi, who stepped down shortly after the match to join Al-Hilal, faced criticism for delayed substitutions, waiting eight minutes into the second half to make changes that ultimately failed to shift the momentum.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is urged to avoid these errors by imposing their own game and maintaining discipline against PSG’s wingers. Unlike Inter, who were described as "mentally broken" by domestic losses, Arsenal head into the final with full confidence. PSG winger Ousmane Dembélé has confirmed his fitness ahead of the match, dismissing concerns regarding an injury sustained during the final league matches.
