The Paris Saint-Germain vs Arsenal UEFA Champions League final pits the best offence in the tournament against the best defence. PSG have scored goals for fun, while Arsenal have conceded the least amount of goals.
Hence, the Paris Saint-Germain vs Arsenal clash should be a very absorbing one. In this article, we will look at two factors that could determine the match’s outcome.
Two Key Factors Ahead Of The Paris Saint-Germain vs Arsenal Clash
1) The Ability Of The PSG Midfielders To Join In The Attack
PSG gave a counter-attacking masterclass against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League semi-final.
They sat deep for the most part and then broke through the Bayern defence mainly through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s runs through the inside-left channel, with Ousmane Dembele staying beside him.
However, against Arsenal, PSG are likely to face a much more resolute defence.
Arsenal are likely to sit deep and try to withstand the onslaught of the PSG attacks. The Paris Saint-Germain vs Arsenal match will primarily pit PSG’s attack against Arsenal’s defence.
The Gunners are not going to allow PSG much space in the final third, which means that Kvaratskhelia is not going to enjoy the attacking freedom he did against Bayern. This means that the PSG front-three will need help from their midfielders.
Now, if PSG fields a midfield-three of Vitinha, Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz, that would mean that there will be no specialist number six in it.
That means that if Neves and Vitinha venture forward to help the attacks beat Arsenal’s low-block, only Fabian Ruiz will stay back to deal with Arsenal’s attacks.
This is a balance that PSG will have to strike. They will no longer be able to rely on the long balls played to Kvaratskhelia and will have to create their moves with short passes involving the midfielders.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Julian Alvarez To Barcelona: Could He Be The Perfect Long-Term Replacement For Robert Lewandowski?
2) PSG’s Ability To Deal With Arsenal’s Counter-Attacks
As mentioned already, Arsenal will try to trouble the Parisians with their counter-attacks. The fate of the Paris Saint-Germain vs Arsenal UEFA Champions League final could largely be determined by the French team’s ability to deal with them.
Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres will be two key components in Arsenal’s attacks who can hurt PSG through their runs from counterattacks.
If the PSG midfielders venture forward, the Gunners will try to exploit the space left behind by them by playing long balls to either of them.
Marquinhos and Pacho, the PSG centre-backs, will have to be cautious when dealing with the counters. PSG are likely to dominate the ball-possession, which means that Arsenal’s chances of winning the match will be through counter-attacks.
The set-pieces could also prove to be key, and the PSG defensive players should be wary of Arsenal’s taller players like Gabriel, William Saliba and Kai Havertz.
The Paris Saint-Germain vs Arsenal final might go down to the wire, but the defending champions will start as the slight favourites on account of their superior attack and having more difference makers upfront than the Gunners.
However, Arsenal won’t go down without a fight and will bring their best to the game against PSG in the UEFA Champions League final.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / NurPhoto
Leave a Reply