For the first time in Champions League history, an English club will face French opposition in the final as Arsenal take on defending champions PSG.
Fresh from winning the Premier League title, Arsenal are aiming to crown a remarkable season with their first European triumph. The Gunners’ only previous Champions League final appearance came in 2006, when they lost 2-1 to Barcelona in Paris.
Simply reaching the final marks a major achievement for Mikel Arteta’s side, but Arsenal now have the chance to make history if they can overcome PSG.
The French champions are already trailblazers in their own right. PSG became the first French club to reach back-to-back Champions League finals and are preparing for their third appearance overall. Last year’s victory finally erased the pain of their 2020 defeat to Bayern Munich.
English clubs have traditionally dominated European finals. Since Manchester United beat Benfica in 1968, nine English teams have featured in 22 European Cup finals. There have also been two all-English finals, Manchester United’s penalty shootout win over Chelsea in 2008 and Liverpool’s victory over Tottenham in 2019.
English clubs have lifted the trophy 15 times, with Manchester City’s 2023 win over Inter Milan the most recent success. Arsenal will hope that history works in their favour, while PSG aim to break the trend.
PSG’s victory over Inter Milan last season was only the second time a French club had won Europe’s top prize. Marseille were the first in 1993, defeating AC Milan in the first final of the Champions League era with a team featuring Abedi Pele, Marcel Desailly and Didier Deschamps.
PSG head into the final as slight favourites and are chasing another landmark achievement, becoming only the second team in the Champions League era, after Real Madrid in 2018, to retain the trophy.
