Arsenal study Champions League ultimate opponents as Bukayo Saka will get his excellent situation
The Champions League final is now set following the clash between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain with Arsenal discovering their opponents for their next foray into Europe
Bukayo Saka will be pleased(Image: Alex Pantling – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Arsenal will face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final after the French side dispatched Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening. Luis Enrique’s side drew 1-1 at the Allianz Arena, having already come into the clash with a one-goal lead from the 5-4 triumph in the first leg.
Ousmane Dembele scored the opening goal of the night to secure PSG’s place as Bayern struggled to find a way to pile pressure on the reigning European champions before Harry Kane’s goal in stoppage time. With seconds remaining, Vincent Kompany’s side could not force extra time.
The result ensures the Gunners will enjoy a stiff test at the Puskas Arena in Hungary later this month as they look to win the Champions League for the first time. It is a test they will be relishing, with their match-winner against Atletico Madrid, Bukayo Saka, hinting that he wanted to face PSG in the season’s showpiece event.
After Arsenal progressed to the final, the England international was quickly asked who he’d prefer to face between PSG and Bayern. Saka was coy, but appeared to have a degree of revenge on his mind.
Asked by CBS Sports, Saka replied “Come on, man… you can’t ask me that. I’d have to give a media-trained answer. You know deep down who we’d want to face, that’s all I’ll say.”
Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League at the semi-final stage last season. The Parisian side won home and away to dispatch the Gunners on their way to beating Inter Milan in the final. PSG won 1-0 at the Emirates thanks to an Ousmane Dembele goal before going two goals up in the French capital to ensure Saka’s effort counted for nothing.
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Some would be forgiven for preferring a clash against Bayern Munich. Arsenal coasted to victory over the German giants in November when they won 3-1 thanks to goals from Jurrien Timber, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli.
The Gunners are undefeated in this season’s European campaign and Mikel Arteta was ecstatic to reach the final of the competition. “It’s an incredible night,” he said after Arsenal’s win.
“We made history again together. I cannot be happier and prouder of everyone involved in this football club.
“The manner that we got to see outside the stadium was special and unique. The atmosphere that our supporters created, the energy, the way they lived every ball with us, it made it special and unique. I never felt that in the stadium.
“We knew how much it meant to everybody. We put everything in, the boys did an incredible job. After 20 years and for the second time in our history, we are back in the Champions League final.”
