Mikel Arteta Relishes Facing Paris Saint-Germain in Champions League Final
- Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is looking forward to facing Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final
- Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayern Munich 6-5 on aggregate to set up a tasty final against Arsenal in Budapest
- The Gunners are competing in their first final since 2006, while PSG are playing in their second consecutive final
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is relishing facing a crunch UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest, Hungary.
The Gunners reached their first Champions League final since losing the 2006 final to Barcelona, while PSG are in their second consecutive final to defend their title.
Source: Getty Images
Arsenal beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate, while the French Ligue 1 champions beat German Bundesliga side Bayern Munich 6-5 over two legs.
As noted by UEFA, the two sides will face off at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday, May 30, 2026, with a kickoff time of 5 pm, earlier than previous years.
The final was scheduled earlier than previous years to help the fans enjoy the evening after the match and to be more accessible to audiences around the world.
Arteta speaks ahead of facing PSG
Arteta played on Tuesday, while PSG played on Wednesday and as such, Mikel Arteta faced the media for the first time since knowing his opponent in the final.
Arteta admitted that he has been in a high emotional state since the end of the match, but immediately after the celebrations, he switched his focus to the Premier League game.
“I was in a really high emotional state after the game, obviously, because we know what it means to everybody, to the club. You could tell what it means to everybody, to our supporters, players, staff,” he said as quoted by arsenal.com.
“Straight after the game, you have to believe me, straight after that, my concentration, my focus, my energy was, ‘ok, West Ham, what do we have to do on the mental side, physically, tactically, technically, to prepare in the best possible way to go there and win the game?’ That's it.”
Arteta is not fazed by drawing PSG, claiming he knows the quality of the teams at that level and is confident that his team will deliver when they get to that moment.
Source: Getty Images
“It is what it is. We knew the level of the opposition that we had to face, either way, Bayern Munich or PSG,” he said.
“We know the quality that they have, and that's it. But obviously, we're also very confident that when we get to that moment, we're going to deliver what we need to.”
Arsenal could wrap up the title this weekend if they beat fellow Londoners, West Ham. The match will not be a walk in the park as the Hammers are battling to survive relegation.
Enrique sends message to Arteta
Legit.ng previously reported that Luis Enrique sent a message to Mikel Arteta after PSG reached the Champions League final, where they will face Arsenal.
Enrique recanted the childhood memories at academies between the two of them, and he looks forward to playing a great game of football.
Source: Legit.ng
