At a Glance:
Emmanuel Petit on how PSG fans feel about Arsenal clash.
Petit’s view on the fans’ perception.
Mikel Arteta backs Arsenal to win the Champions League final.
Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal fans will be heading into the Champions League final hoping that their respective clubs can make history for different reasons.
From the Gunners’ point of view, Mikel Arteta could win an unprecedented double while also becoming the first manager in the club’s history to lift the Champions League trophy.
As for the Parisians, Luis Enrique is on the verge of becoming the only manager since Real Madrid icon Zinedine Zidane to win Europe’s elite competition in successive seasons.
Theo Walcott backed Arsenal to beat PSG but he is likely expected to, having played for the club for over a decade. Emmanuel Petit revealed how the French club’s supporters are viewing Saturday’s showdown.
Emmanuel Petit reveals PSG fans are ‘too confident’ about beating Arsenal
Petit told talkSPORT that PSG fans, whether it is in the media landscape or supporters in general are overly confident about beating Arsenal in Budapest.
Arsenal are underdogs against PSG but simultaneously, Emmanuel Petit claims that the French fans are of the opinion that the Ligue 1 champions are a far superior side out of the two.
“When you hear the sports shows on football or on radio, newspapers, everybody that loves football and that likes Paris Saint-Germain, for me, it is a little too much confidence. They have the feeling that they are much better than Arsenal.
🇫🇷 "They have the feeling that they are much better than them (Arsenal)!"
🏆 "PSG has been the best team for the last two years!"
Emmanuel Petit reveals PSG fans in France are "too confident!" pic.twitter.com/ptirv2sNtg
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) May 26, 2026
“If you look at the communication, of course, they won’t say it. But the internal communication, you can hear something different that as individuals and collectives, the team is much better than Arsenal. And I can agree until a certain limit.”
Mikel Arteta is confident about Arsenal winning the Champions League final
With Arsenal winning the Premier League title early, most of their key players will be rested against PSG, as is the case of Luis Enrique and Co, which also explains why Emmanuel Petit feels the clash is far from a write-off.
Furthermore, the North Londoners did prove last season that they can beat France’s finest in a one-off game, as they won 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium in the league phase of the Champions League.
Ultimately, the fans should be encouraged about Mikel Arteta’s confidence about Arsenal trouncing PSG, as he said: “It’s what I said and now, this shirt represents something else and now we have the opportunity to write new history at our club. And I’m convinced that we’re going to do it.”
Srinivas Sadhanand
Srinivas Sadhanand is a writer for Read Arsenal and Read Man City, with over eight years of experience as a sports journalist. He has worked for established companies such as GRV Media, The Economic Times, Urban Pitch and Sportskeeda among several others. From interview athletes to writing detailed tactical pieces and covering the impact streetwear and music in football, he has many strings to his bow as a journalist. Being a lifelong Manchester City fan, he specialises in writing about them and the Premier League in particular. Away from the desk, he loves watching European football, cricket, films, listening to music and exploring new foods.
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