Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain will face off in the Champions League final with both Mikel Arteta and Luis Enrique handed injury boosts ahead of the clash
Mikel Arteta confirmed a Jurrien Timber Arsenal injury boost for the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain
Mikel Arteta confirmed a Jurrien Timber Arsenal injury boost for the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain(Image: (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images))
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The newly-crowned Premier League champions are aiming to transform an already memorable season into a historic one, having ended their 22-year wait to reclaim the summit of English football.
Mikel Arteta's men are just 90 minutes away from ending their wait for continental glory and settling the score after their 2006 heartbreak against Barcelona in Paris.
Spirits are high at the north London club as they prepare to go head-to-head with last season's Champions League winners in Budapest.
Much like PSG last May, Arsenal are bidding to become the latest side to add the prestigious trophy to their cabinet. Timber's availability to start, should Arteta choose to deploy him, represents a significant boost for the Spaniard and his tactical options, following the Dutchman's absence since March. Arteta confirmed: "He's fit, yeah."
For the reigning champions, star performers Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes have all overcome their respective knocks to be available for Luis Enrique's starting line-up.
While the Ballon d'Or winner played down worries over the calf problem that saw him substituted in their final Ligue 1 fixture against Paris FC, the full-back pairing of Hakimi and Mendes has proved especially troubling.
The Moroccan has been absent since the Parisiens' thrilling first-leg victory over Bayern Munich, while the Portuguese picked up an injury in that triumph but aggravated the problem in the second-leg.
Yet both received the all-clear from Enrique, who is aiming to secure another prestigious European title to add to his impressive trophy cabinet, having guided the French giants to their maiden crown 12 months ago.
The Spanish tactician said: "Haki and Nuno, they are OK, they are able to play tomorrow."
Paris Saint-Germain full back duo Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes
Paris Saint-Germain full back duo Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes have shaken off injures
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Dembele brushed aside doubts about his fitness for Saturday. He told reporters: "No, no, I wasn't scared about missing the final as I stopped when I felt the niggle and I've had 10 or 15 days to get myself in shape before the final.
"The season was complicated for everyone at PSG, we didn't have a lot of down time but the coach and the staff kept a hand over scheduling tweaks so we could make the Champions League final, I'm 100 percent ready and raring to go.
"We're hoping things go well tomorrow."