News Focus
- Arsenal have played 63 matches this season, while PSG have played 56 games
- Arsenal’s starting eleven have played nearly 7,000 minutes more in league games than PSG’s stars
- Luis Enrique rested key players like Marquinhos and Dembele during Ligue 1 fixtures
- PSG will have 13 days of rest before the final, compared to Arsenal’s six days
- Both clubs have won 14 league titles each ahead of the Budapest showdown
The Champions League final takes place this Saturday at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain will fight for the biggest prize in European club football. The match brings a long and difficult season to a close for both sides.
Arsenal have played 63 games in all competitions. PSG have played 56 matches, not counting their seven games at the Club World Cup last summer. This difference could play a big role in the final.
Arsenal’s players have spent much more time on the pitch. The starting eleven from their semi-final second leg played almost 7,000 more minutes in league games than PSG’s starters. This equals about 75 extra hours of football.
Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, has relied on a core group of players. Six of his stars played more league minutes than PSG’s hardest-working player. In contrast, Luis Enrique used 28 different players in the league compared to Arteta’s 25.
The PSG boss has given his best players regular breaks during domestic matches. His squad is so strong that they can win even without their stars. This is because Ligue 1 has weaker teams than the Premier League.
Some PSG players had very light workloads in the league. Captain Marquinhos started only 14 league matches. He did not play a single minute in seven straight league games between February and April. During that time, he played every minute of their Champions League matches.
Ousmane Dembele, who won the Ballon d’Or, played only one full 90-minute match in the league. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia completed full matches just twice. Only Warren Zaire-Emery reached 2,453 league minutes for PSG. Six Arsenal players beat that figure.
David Raya, Arsenal’s goalkeeper, played every minute until the final day. Declan Rice, William Saliba, Gabriel and Martin Zubimendi all started at least 30 league games. This heavy schedule could leave them tired on the pitch.
PSG will also have more time to recover. They finished their league season on 17 May. This gives them 13 days of rest before the final. Arsenal played their last match on 23 May, giving them just six days to prepare.
The French champions won their league with one game to spare. Arsenal also won the Premier League title last week. Both clubs have now won 14 league titles each. However, PSG have won more Champions League trophies than the London side. The result on Saturday could depend on which team has more energy left in their legs.