
Arsenal will be without Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres in their starting lineup for the UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. Arsenal are all set to take on Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League final this Saturday at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres will not be part of the starting lineup, with Mikel Arteta opting to leave both players on the bench. The Spanish coach has chosen to start Myles Lewis-Skelly in midfield, in the role Eze typically occupies, alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard. As a result, the Gunners will feature a more defensive profile in that area of the pitch as they look to counter PSG’s attacking firepower. Up front, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard retain their places on the wings. At center forward, Arteta has opted for Kai Havertz, meaning Gyokeres will begin the match among the substitutes. Gyokeres’ Champions League numbers The decision to leave Viktor Gyokeres on the bench is particularly noteworthy considering he had started every Champions League knockout-stage match for Arsenal up to this point. The Swedish striker started 11 of Arsenal’s 14 matches during their run in the competition, coming off the bench once and missing the other two due to injury. 🔴 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️Your Champions League final line-up.COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 30, 2026 Gyokeres is Arsenal’s second-leading scorer in this season’s Champions League campaign with five goals, trailing only Gabriel Martinelli, who has six. Kai Havertz, who will lead the line for Arsenal in Saturday’s final, appeared in just five Champions League matches because of injury issues and scored three goals. Luis Enrique sticks with his trusted lineup While Mikel Arteta made changes to Arsenal’s starting lineup that differ from the selections he had used throughout the earlier stages of the UEFA Champions League, Luis Enrique has opted to place his trust in the players who guided Paris Saint-Germain to the final. As a result, PSG’s starting XI features no major surprises compared to previous matches. The Spanish coach’s approach is clear: rely on the ball control and composure of midfielders Vitinha, Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz, while maximizing the attacking talent of forwards Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Introducing your Parisian Starting XI ❤️💙#UCLFinal | @EASPORTSFC pic.twitter.com/QGGfZCvk0e— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) May 30, 2026
