At a Glance:
Arsenal play Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on Saturday.
Former Gunners star Nacho Monreal says it’s an even clash, despite PSG being deemed favourites.
The former left-back has also heaped praise on Mikel Arteta.
Former Arsenal left-back Nacho Monreal has described the upcoming Champions League final in Budapest as an even contest and that neither side should really be treated as favourites.
The former left-back argued that the team that makes fewer mistakes will run out winners, and added that Arsenal now have Arteta’s personality because the manager knows exactly what he wants and wastes no time chasing it.
The Gunners booked their place in the showpiece European event by overcoming Atletico Madrid in an intense two-legged semi-final. Now, a much more menacing task awaits, but Monreal is confident that Arteta’s team have the capacity to emerge victorious.
Nacho Monreal provides Champions League final verdict
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Speaking to AS, Monreal provided an upbeat outlook on the imminent final in Hungary.
“It’s a very even matchup,” he said.
“I don’t think either team is the clear favourite — it’s completely balanced. Both have very defined styles, and they’ll stick to them. Whoever makes fewer mistakes will be the champion.
“Without a doubt [it’s Arsenal’s time to win a Champions League]. They’re one of the few top English clubs that have never won it. The final is 50–50 — anything can happen — but hopefully they play well and lift the trophy.”
Monreal, who shared a dressing room with Arteta between 2013 and 2016, was also quizzed on whether he believed the Spanish manager would develop into a great coach.
“Absolutely,” he said.
“He has a strong personality and knows exactly what he wants. Even as a teammate, whenever we had team talks, he was one of the voices everyone listened to. Everything he said made sense. We all knew he’d become a great manager.”
Arsenal fans will love Nacho Monreal’s comments
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This matters because Arsenal’s biggest selling point before Saturday is no longer just emotion or momentum. It is identity.
Arteta has built a side that are harder to break, more disciplined without the ball and far calmer under pressure than earlier versions of this project. When a respected former Gunner who knows the club well says the manager’s personality is now all over the team, it fits what supporters have watched all season.
Monreal is offering an informed football view rather than revealing inside information. But the wider backdrop gives his point weight. Arsenal have gone 14 Champions League games unbeaten this season, kept nine clean sheets and conceded only six goals in the competition.
They have already won the Premier League title earlier this month, so the case for Arsenal is obvious. The case against is obvious too: PSG are the holders, their attack is deeper, and they arrive with more recent experience of finishing this job.