Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique, left, is going to head to head with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta in their quest to be crowned kings of Europe.
Image: AFP
For all the progress made under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain at the Puskás Arena in Budapest, Hungary on Saturday (6pm SA time kick-off) ultimately comes down to whether they have learnt enough from their previous heartbreak to finally finish the job.
Having laid another demon to rest by claiming a first Premier League title in 22 years, the unbeaten Gunners will be confident of defying the odds and putting the icing on the cake of a truly memorable season. They have already beaten PSG in the group phase this term, but remain under no illusions about the enormity of the task ahead.
Arsenal’s modern European story has been filled with moments of immense promise that ultimately ended in frustration. Some were cruel, others self-inflicted, but all left behind vital lessons that have shaped the team now standing just one match away from footballing immortality.
As the north London side prepare for the biggest night of the Arteta era, three previous near misses still linger heavily in the background.
Arsenal’s first and only previous Champions League final appearance remains one of the great "what if?" nights in the club’s history. The Gunners led Barcelona in Paris despite goalkeeper Jens Lehmann becoming the first player ever to be sent off in a European Cup final after just 18 minutes. Sol Campbell’s towering header somehow put Arsène Wenger’s side ahead, and for more than an hour, Arsenal defended heroically with 10 men.
But Barcelona’s relentless pressure eventually told. Ivory Coast superstar Samuel Eto’o equalised before Juliano Belletti snatched a late winner, leaving Arsenal heartbroken after coming within touching distance of European glory.
After years away from Europe’s elite, Arsenal returned to the Champions League knockout stages in 2024 looking like genuine contenders. Arteta’s side edged past Porto before running into heavyweight adversaries Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals. The tie was painfully tight. Arsenal matched Bayern for long stretches but lacked ruthlessness in both boxes. A 2-2 draw at the Emirates left everything hanging in the balance before Joshua Kimmich’s header sealed a 1-0 win for Bayern in Germany.
It felt like a lesson rather than a collapse — proof that Arsenal belonged back among Europe’s best, but also a stark reminder that Champions League football punishes even the smallest defensive lapses.
There is extra intrigue in this year’s final because Arsenal’s road to the trophy ran directly through Paris Saint-Germain last season and ended in total heartbreak. PSG defeated Arsenal 3-1 on aggregate in the 2025 semi-finals on their way to lifting the trophy for the very first time.
The Gunners created chances and controlled long periods of both matches but were ultimately undone by elite finishing, big-game experience, and moments of hesitation in key areas. Ousmane Dembélé, Fabián Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi scored for PSG, while Arsenal’s lonely response across the tie came via Bukayo Saka.
That defeat was a brutal part of a young Gunners team's education. Now, they have the ultimate opportunity for revenge, having already proved in the group phase that they can get the better of Luis Enrique's star-studded team. This final is not just about winning the Champions League; it is about proving Arsenal have finally learnt from every near miss that came before it.