History on the line in Budapest
Your team can become only the second club ever to win back-to-back Champions League titles tonight. PSG face Arsenal at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, kicking off at 18:00 CEST (3) (4).
The confirmed lineup features Safonov in goal with Hakimi, and the Portuguese quartet of Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Vitinha, and Gonçalo Ramos all start (9) (10). Arsenal name Havertz and Trossard in their XI, while their top scorer is on the bench alongside Timber and Zubimendi (1) (3) (5) (7) (9).
Squad tension before the final
The buildup hasn't been entirely smooth. Ilia Zabarnyi refused to clasp hands with Matvey Safonov during an open training session, exposing the geopolitical strain between the Ukrainian defender and the Russian goalkeeper. Luis Enrique responded by giving the squad 48 hours off to decompress before the biggest night of the season.
Get the next Paris Saint-Germain FC brief by email
This article went out to subscribers as a brief. Get the next one straight to your inbox, free.
Free · No spam · Unsubscribe anytime
Budapest atmosphere electric
PSG and Arsenal fans have turned Budapest into a football carnival ahead of the final, creating what local reports call a "crazy atmosphere" (6). Around 4,000 police have been deployed after some earlier clashes between supporters (6).
Off the pitch, the club has covered all travel costs for staff attending the final, a move that contrasts sharply with Arsenal's approach.
Youth silverware and transfer noise
The U18s lifted the Coupe Gambardella, a trophy celebrated loudly by the ultras. Meanwhile, Liverpool are reportedly tracking Bradley Barcola, and on-loan forward Randal Kolo Muani continues to struggle at Tottenham, where he's being labelled one of their worst-ever loan signings.
Fan reactions
Neutral fans across Reddit are locked in on tonight's final, with Chelsea supporters running a dedicated rivals watch thread. The general mood from outsiders leans toward PSG being slight favorites given the chance to defend the crown, but Arsenal's story of finally breaking their league drought under Arteta, as Sol Campbell put it, "having come so close three times on the bounce I felt these guys needed it," has plenty of neutrals split (8). Full thread
