PSG Clear Doubts Ahead of Champions League Final Against Arsenal
Paris Saint-Germain will walk into Saturday’s Champions League final with two major doubts cleared. Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembele are both on the plane – and that changes the shape of this contest.
Hakimi, the man who lit up last year’s final with the opening goal in a 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan, has not played since pulling his hamstring in the semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich. Dembele limped out of PSG’s final Ligue 1 outing against Paris FC with his own muscle problem.
Both looked like genuine risks. Both are now named in Luis Enrique’s travelling squad. For a coach who leans heavily on width, aggression and high-speed transitions, it is a significant lift on the eve of a title defence.
Champions Looking to Protect Their Crown
PSG arrive as holders, armed with scars and certainty. They have been here, they have done it, and they know exactly what it takes over 90 minutes on this stage.
Arsenal, though, come with a different kind of energy. Less than a week ago, they were lifting the Premier League trophy, the culmination of a relentless domestic campaign. Now they chase a historic double, one that would recast this season from memorable to era-defining.
Kick-off is set for 5pm, and the stakes could hardly be higher: a champion defending its throne against a club trying to complete the most audacious of climbs.
Timber’s Timely Return for Arsenal
The holders are not the only side buoyed by late medical news. Arsenal have their own quiet boost.
Jurrien Timber, sidelined since March with a hamstring injury suffered against Everton, has been included in the squad travelling to Hungary after returning to training this week. The Dutch full-back has missed 14 matches across all competitions, a long absence at a critical point in the season.
His presence does not guarantee a start, or even minutes, but it does give Mikel Arteta another defensive option against one of Europe’s most fluid attacking units.
Barcola’s Message: PSG Rely on the Collective
Inside the PSG camp, the message is clear: this is not about individuals returning from the treatment room, but about a machine that believes in its structure.
“It’s a great honour to be playing in a second final,” winger Bradley Barcola told club media. “We’re going to do everything we can to win it. We’re trying to build as much confidence as possible ahead of this final, and we’re going to work hard to make sure we’re ready.
“I really think it’s our collective strength. The fact that we play together, attack together and defend together. We really play as a team, and that’s our greatest strength right now.”
That word – collective – will ring loud in Arsenal ears. This is the same PSG that ended their Champions League dream at the semi-final stage last season, winning 3-1 on aggregate. In the second leg, Fabian Ruiz and Hakimi delivered the decisive blows. Arsenal know the damage this side can inflict when it clicks.
The Champions’ Hand: PSG Squad in Full
Luis Enrique’s selection tells its own story: experience, balance, and enough firepower to stretch any opponent.
- Goalkeepers: Chevalier, Safonov, Renato Marin.
- Defenders: Hakimi, Beraldo, Marquinhos, Zabarnyi, L. Hernandez, Nuno Mendes, Pacho.
- Midfielders: Fabian, Vitinha, Mayulu, Dro, Zaire-Emery, Joao Neves.
Hakimi’s name among the defenders is the headline. Dembele’s inclusion, though not listed in the provided breakdown, completes the picture of a frontline that should be close to full strength.
Arsenal arrive as newly crowned champions of England. PSG arrive as champions of Europe. One will leave with a second piece of silverware, the other with a sharp reminder of how brutal this level can be.
Twelve months ago, Hakimi set the tone in a final and PSG never looked back. If he steps onto the pitch again this weekend, does he write the same script – or does Arsenal finally tear it up?
