It is very difficult to look past PSG as winners in Budapest. They are so strong in every area. The only weakness I really see in the team is their goalkeeper.
One of Arsenal’s issues will be containing the PSG full-backs. That means asking Saka and Trossard, who will probably be on the wings, to contain the full-backs and stick with them, and also go the other way and attack them as well.
Saka and Trossard will have to do both sides of it, something we know that PSG’s full-backs can do, so that is going to be very difficult for Arsenal to contain.
They [PSG] are clear favourites. Whether that translates into a big scoreline is another story. With the exception of last year at this very ground [when PSG beat Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final at the Allianz Arena], big favourites don’t always win big.
But I think PSG, in terms of their overall balance, are a little bit ahead of Arsenal in all areas. I am thinking that even in his very best game, [Viktor] Gyokeres is still so far behind what this team has.
The balance they [PSG] have at the back, in the midfield, the way they can change the game, I just think that they are the better side.
Paris St-Germain may look to emulate Atletico Madrid’s ploy and look to disrupt Arsenal’s possessional dominance by pressing high, likely in a man-to-man fashion.
The intensity from players like Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue up top will look to force Arsenal into early turnovers and big chances of their own, or long balls, betting on the likes of Marquinhos and Willian Pacho to win aerial duels.
With aerially-dominant Mikel Merino out and Kai Havertz returning to full fitness, if it is Gyokeres set to battle with the PSG defenders, making the ball stick might be a tougher ask for Arsenal.
Against Bayern Munich, PSG often defended in a man-to-man fashion. If this happens against Arsenal, the Gunners may look for runners in behind after pulling central defenders deeper through their own attacking movements.
Alternatively, PSG may set up to defend deeper if Arsenal are able to dominate possession as they did last season.
In those games, Gianluigi Donnarumma was in goal, and his individual brilliance saved PSG on several occasions. With Matvey Safonov in goal for PSG this season, defending deep suddenly becomes a riskier option.
