BUDAPEST — Bukayo Saka wants to set the record straight for those who think Arsenal‘s weariness will tip the scales in the Champions League final. He believes that it’s not the endurance but the enchanting moments that will steer their fate. Confidently, he sees no barriers to replicating the magic that eluded them last year.
This marathon season, drawing to a close at Budapest’s Ferenc Puskas Arena on Saturday, has seen Arsenal endure a grueling 63-game stretch. With deep runs in both domestic cups, a nail-biting title chase concluded in the final week, and their first Champions League final in two decades, Mikel Arteta’s squad has had their mettle tested. Five Arsenal players have surpassed 4,000 minutes across all competitions, a milestone not reached by any player from their Saturday opponents, Paris Saint-Germain. While PSG has three players exceeding 3,000 minutes, Arsenal boasts nine. Even players like Jurrien Timber, Viktor Gyokeres, and Saka, who dealt with lengthy injuries, would rank among the top in minutes played in the French league.
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Part of this stems from PSG’s injury challenges, though Arsenal has faced its share of setbacks as well. Luis Enrique has had the luxury of resting his players in Ligue 1—a flexibility that Arsenal couldn’t afford amid the Premier League’s relentless competitiveness.
Nevertheless, Arsenal has enjoyed a six-day respite since their last match, where a largely changed lineup triumphed over Crystal Palace. According to Saka, they are primed and raring to compete. “It’s not going to be about the minutes,” he emphasized. “It will hinge on the key moments and which team can deliver a touch of brilliance and stay organized.”
Arsenal’s readiness is further bolstered by the return of Jurrien Timber, whom Arteta has confirmed is fit to start in what would be his first appearance since March’s 2-0 victory. Noni Madueke has also recovered from an injury at Palace, leaving Ben White as the sole exclusion from the squad.
Motivation runs high for Arsenal, who faced heartbreak in last year’s semifinal against eventual champions PSG, a team they had previously bested in the group stage. “We’ve drawn from those three encounters and learned a lot,” Arteta remarked. “Both teams have evolved differently, and with those insights, we know what needs improvement. I’m confident we’ll see that come to fruition tomorrow.”
Then again, what more motivation could Arsenal need than the pursuit of a first European Cup in their history? Some, including this writer, might argue that having secured a trophy after a six-year wait, and in particular the Premier League title this club has craved since 2004, might ease the demands on the Gunners. Were it put to Arteta he might even have acknowledged that the pressure is a little bit less now that they do not need silverware to vindicate the three previous years of excellent football and near misses.
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When, however, it was suggested that that pressure might be off, Arteta’s response was immediate and assertive. “No. The ambition is bigger. We have one, and now we want the second one.
“That’s all we’ve been talking about. There has to be a platform to reach bigger destinations and to aim for more. The team is capable, because we’ve shown it in the last two seasons, in this competition. What we’ve done this season in the competition, and I want the players to be so confident that we’re going to win.”
That view was shared by Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, whose first trophy lift has him eager for more. “It’s something special that we can achieve as that has not been done before,” he said. “It was 22 years since we last won the Premier League. Now, finally, we did it. We want to make even more history. When you get the taste of winning and lifting a trophy, you know how nice it feels. Obviously, we want to do it again.
“That pressure, the outside noise of people saying we can’t do it and all that, that’s gone. For us, it doesn’t change a lot other than it’s an amazing feeling and an amazing achievement. But the mindset is still the same. We want to come here and win tomorrow.”
Win or lose, the Arsenal squad can expect a hero’s welcome when they return from Budapest. Up to a million people are expected to line the streets of north London as Arteta’s squad join Renee Slegers’ Champions Cup-winning women’s side in an open-top bus parade. That phrase might be underselling what is being talked about as one of the events of the summer in the capital, something Saka is eager to experience, ideally with one more trophy to show off.
“Personally, I know exactly what it means to the fans,” he said. “I’ve been here on this journey, loving this club and session the ups and the downs. We felt it, you know. When we won the Premier League, we could see how much it meant to the supporters.
“The parade is maybe going to be the first time we see a proper gathering of all the Arsenal fans, and we’re very excited. At the same time, we’re trying to stay focused on this game because we’re so excited, so motivated to do something special and make the padre even crazier. This game is our focus, but then after we’re going to enjoy it.”
