They are the dominant force in French football, and have been for years – but does that mean they will start favourites in the UEFA Champions League Final?
Maybe.
During my travels this season, I have been fortunate enough to commentate several Paris St Germain matches, including two at their home ground of Parc des Princes.
While Luis Enrique’s side have – again – won Ligue Un at a relative canter, they haven’t been quite as invincible domestically this season. Their tally of six defeats is more than their last two campaigns in total.
Lens pushed them to the last week of the season, when a 2-0 PSG victory at the Stade Bollaert confirmed a fifth consecutive championship – a game that was rather controversially delayed due to PSG’s Champions League commitments.
However, the points gap at the top was cut to six in 2025/26 – quite a difference from last season, when Marseille were second best, finishing a full 19 points behind the perennial winners from the French capital.
Critics (especially those of an English persuasion) argue that PSG have a significant advantage when it comes to the Champions League, claiming that Ligue Un is of a lower standard than the Premier League, thus they play fewer games of high intensity.
Some of the data appears to support this. For example, between the two legs of the high-octane Champions League semi-final with Bayern Munich, Ballon d’Or winner, Ousmane Dembele, was left undisturbed on the bench against both Angers & Lorient – he score three times in that tie against the Germans.
Similarly, veteran defender Marquinhos started only three domestic league games since early February, his body and leadership skills being “saved” for the Champions League defence. By way of comparison, William Saliba of Arsenal played the full 90 minutes in ten Premier League games in the same period.
Yet to suggest that PSG have an easy ride is to underestimate Ligue Un, and the demands of Luis Enrique, their coach.
PSG’s six defeats in the domestic league came against Marseille, Monaco (twice), Rennes, Lyon and Paris FC. Of that lot, only Paris FC finished outside the European places (and of course, that fixture is a derby). Paris FC – Ligue Un newcomers – were the only other team aside of Monaco to defeat them twice, edging them 1-0 in the Coupe de France Round of 32.
Arsenal – who suffered one defeat fewer – lost only to Liverpool, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Bournemouth and Manchester City…all clubs who finished in the top six. Their winning margin over the second-placed team (Manchester City) was ultimately seven points. The pattern is essentially the same and is replicated in most of the big leagues across Europe.
Aside of the bigger clubs such as Lyon, Marseille, who can occasionally go toe-to-toe with PSG, their other matches follow a familiar groove – but it is one replicated a lot in the Premier League too.
Clubs such as Nice, Lorient, Angers sit in their low defensive block, looking to deny space, absorb pressure – and then hit their opponents on the counter-attack.
In the last PSG game I commentated – against Lorient at the Parc des Princes – this worked a treat for Les Merlus, who were able to snatch a draw against a much-changed PSG thanks to a late equaliser from Aiyegun Tosin. The same player might even have won it late on with another 1-on-1 with goalkeeper, Matvey Safonov, but the big Russian made a crucial block.
That sort of set-up from their opponents may serve them well in the final, with Arsenal comfortable without the ball, and PSG likely to dominate possession.
PSG have quality right across the park. Safonov has proved to be a very capable replacement for Gianluigi Donnarumma, having rather surprisingly won the battle with Lucas Chevalier for the goalkeeping gloves.
At the back, PSG’s big injury concern is Achraf Hakimi – the Moroccan right-back who hasn’t played since the semi-final first leg against Bayern. If he doesn’t make it, then one of two PSG Academy graduates – Senny Mayulu, or the brilliant Warren Zaire-Emery will fill in. Zaire-Emery is a Rolls Royce of a footballer, who has a fantastic engine and football smarts that betray his 20 years on the planet. Nothing wrong with his endurance either – he’s played 53 games this season, and will feature for France at the World Cup in North America too.
In central defence, I’d expect Marquinhos to feature alongside the dependable Willian Pacho, while it’s a toss of the coin as to whether Lucas Hernandez or Nuno Mendes gets the nod at left-back.
Yet if they have a slight weakness, it’s probably in this area of the field. They can on occasion get caught short on defensive numbers in transition (the first leg of the semi with Bayern being a good example), and Arsenal’s set-piece numbers mean Enrique might even be tempted to start with the more physically imposing Iliya Zabarnyi – though it’s hard to see him breaking that Marquinhos-Pacho axis for such a big game.
They play an aggressive high defensive line in Ligue Un, but showed in the second leg against Bayern they can adapt – I’d imagine they’d contniue that against Arsenal in the final.
In midfield, Vitinha is an automatic start – the conductor of PSG, whose prompting & probing allows a gifted attack the chance to run at defenders. Quite how Wolves didn’t make the most of his talents remains a mystery – his battle for dominance with Declan Rice could well be pivotal.
It’s likely Vitinha will be partnered by the more attack-minded Joao Neves (who scored a brilliant header against Bayern in the semi-final first leg) and either Zaire-Emery or, (if Zaire-Emery is pushed into defensive duties), Lucas Beraldo, a converted central defender who might just offer that little extra assurance at the back.
But it’s in attack where PSG’s riches could really shine.
Aside of Dembele, whose season has been a lifle stop-start due to injury, there is Kvhicha Kvaratskhelia, the player who has been their jewel in the crown this season – especially in the Champions League.
The Georgian winger has a frankly ridiculous 10 goals & 6 assists in this year’s competition – more than his domestic contribbution. A fast, direct winger, he’s already being talked about as a Ballon d’Or successor to Dembele, and Liverpool are said to be ready to openmthe cheque book to bring him to England.
PSG would be reluctant to let him go. With him on one flank and either Bradley Barcola or Desire Doue on the other, along with Dembele they make up a fearsome trio, capable of scaring any defence in the world.
Arsenal are miserly in defence. But Jurrien Timber’s long injury absence could hand the advantage to Kvaratskhelia, who is likely to battle Cristhian Mosquera – another individual battle upon which the outcome may hinge.
Next season, PSG are said to be already lining up Federico Valverde from Real Madrid, who has been involved in a training ground bust-up with team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni – a move that would only strengthen their midfield and make them even more formidable.
As for the Champions League Final – I make it a 50-50 call. Luis Enrique has labelled Arsenal as the best team in the world without the ball. PSG are better in attack, but a little more vulnerable defensively, which is why Enrique has hinted at a new structure for the big occasion in Budapest.
Could he even switch to a back three with Zabarnyi, Marquinhos and Pacho? All will be revealed on the weekend, but don’t rule out Enrique making it 12 wins out of 13 major finals.
It’s a world class record – and PSG are a world class team.