Arsenal and PSG Predicted Lineups Ahead of Champions League Final Showdown
- Arsenal head into the Champions League final with only Ben White unavailable, while Jurrien Timber has recovered from injury and is available to start
- PSG have received major boosts with Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes and Ousmane Dembélé all declared fit ahead of the showpiece in Budapest
- Both sides are expected to field near full-strength lineups as Arsenal chase a first-ever Champions League title and PSG attempt to retain their crown
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Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain will both have almost fully-fit squads available when they face off in tonight’s Champions League final.
After securing the Premier League title with a game to spare, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was able to rest several key players during the club’s final league match against Crystal Palace.
Source: Getty Images
Arteta made nine changes for that fixture, with William Saliba, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard all remaining on the bench until the post-match title celebrations.
It was one of the few occasions this season that Arteta rotated his squad heavily, having generally relied on a settled starting XI throughout the campaign.
Arsenal team news
Arsenal have dealt with several injury setbacks during the season, but ahead of their biggest match in two decades, only Ben White is unavailable.
The right-back suffered a season-ending knee injury against West Ham United earlier this month, creating a significant issue in that area of the pitch.
Meanwhile, Jurrien Timber has not featured since Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Everton in March due to a persistent groin problem that ruled him out of the club’s last 14 matches.
However, the Dutch defender has won his battle for fitness, with Arteta confirming he is available and capable of starting the final despite his lengthy absence.
Arsenal's predicted lineup
Predicted Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Ødegaard, Trossard; Havertz.
PSG team news
PSG have also received several major fitness boosts ahead of the final.
Achraf Hakimi has not played since the 5-4 Champions League semi-final first-leg win over Bayern Munich on April 28, but has been included in the final squad and declared fit enough to feature.
If Hakimi starts, he will join captain Marquinhos and Willian Pacho in defence, while Nuno Mendes is also expected to play after recovering from a thigh issue that has kept him out since the second-leg draw with Bayern.
There were also concerns surrounding Ousmane Dembélé after he suffered a calf injury during PSG’s final Ligue 1 match against Paris FC.
The forward has since recovered and has publicly stated that he is “100 per cent” ready for the final.
Désiré Doué is expected to start on the right wing, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the highest-scoring player still left in the competition, should feature on the opposite flank with Dembélé leading the attack.
Both Lucas Chevalier and Quentin Ndjantou have also been included in PSG’s 24-man squad after recovering from injuries, although Chevalier is expected to provide backup to first-choice goalkeeper Matvey Safonov.
PSG's predicted lineup
Predicted PSG XI (4-3-3): Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, João Neves; Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia.
Source: YEN.com.gh
