Mikel Arteta insisted Arsenal are ready to topple Paris St Germain as the Kings of Europe – after a “hungry” Bukayo Saka challenged his team-mates to create history on the eve of Saturday’s Champions League final.
Fresh from ending two decades of Premier League pain after fending off Manchester City to win the title, Arsenal are now just one game away from landing their first trophy on Europe’s grandest stage in their 140-year history.
Standing in Arsenal’s way at the Puskas Arena in Budapest will be PSG – the defending champions following their 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan last year. Luis Enrique’s side have been installed as the bookmakers’ favourites.
Mikel Arteta, centre, and Bukayo Saka, left, are ready to topple PSG
Mikel Arteta, centre, and Bukayo Saka, left, are ready to topple PSG(John Walton/PA)
But a confident Arteta said: “They are defending the trophy, they were the last ones to earn that right to lift the trophy and they are the champions, but we are here to take that away from them.”
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And Saka said: “We have enough fire going into the game tomorrow. We know we can write history as players for the first time and that gives us a lot of motivation.
“I am hungry and excited to have the opportunity to win another trophy, and create history for the club that I love.”