EXCLUSIVE: The Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal is just days away, and the Gunners have been told of a huge boost if a certain scenario plays out
Arsenal have been told by Joe Cole that Paris Saint-Germain selling Gianluigi Donnarumma could cost them in the Champions League final. The Italian joined Manchester City last summer with Lucas Chevalier bought from Lille as his replacement, though Matvey Safonov has since become PSG’s first-choice goalkeeper.
Having played in the all knockout rounds, Safonov is set to start the showpiece clash in Budapest with David Raya in the opposite goal with Cole of the belief it will go to penalties and that Arsenal will therefore have the advantage.
The former Chelsea star told football.london : “PSG will want to dominate the possession but it’ll be enthralling. It’ll be exciting. It won’t be a stagnant game. I think there’ll be goals. Arsenal are going to take it all the way and I think they can do it.
“They’ve got a better goalkeeper in Raya, and I think PSG will rue the day they sold Donnarumma. I think if it goes down to penalties they certainly will.
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“If they [Arsenal] wouldn’t have won the league, I don’t think they would have won this game, but now they’ve won that, I think they’ve got a 50/50 chance.
“I think it’s a pick ’em game. I think Arsenal were the best side in Europe for the first six months and PSG the best side in the knockout stages, but this Arsenal team will be more closely aligned to the team at the start of the season, because they’ve shaken the monkey off their back.
“They’ve got no worries, they’re just gonna go and play and that is a real real privilege and a cup final. I think it’s going to go all the way to penalties. This is my prediction.
“Arsenal [will] probably play slightly deeper but they’ll have their moments where they’re breaking with Madueke, with Saka up with Gyokeres, you know with the quality that they’ve got and they will hurt PSG, there’s no doubt about that.”
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On what could help Arsenal over the line, he added: “Experience, Mikel Arteta has learnt, developed, and improved. The players have learnt from the pain, they’ve learnt from the suffering, they’ve been a bit more stagnant defensively, they’ve added players, I feel the players have come and have done well, that the spirit.
“I think Mikel Arteta has arrived now at the top table of football management. I think he’s a genius of the game, I really do.”
Having Jurrien Timber available for the game will certainly help Arteta’s chances of solidifying his status among the elites. PSG also have some key players out injured with Ousmane Dembele and Achraf Hakimi among those eyeing returns for the final.
Cole made his own surprise return to action to play for Warley FC, Specsavers’ Best Worst Team , scoring as he guided the side to a 3-1 victory.
“I loved it,” he said. “I think I think especially in the current world men and women getting out playing football Sunday league or anytime. I think it’s so important.
“From that camaraderie to keeping fit and healthy. Good for your mental health, and physical health. I loved it. I love the way that they’re improving the boys.
“We went through a few things tactically. And then I loved getting the boots on again and there’s a great campaign and there are any people out there who were like, ‘it’s gonna get cold in December, January, commit to it, just commit to it, go and do it go and play, get where your mates, whether it be five or five, eleven aside.
“And get doing it because we all need to get healthier. We all need to get off of our phones and all that nonsense on screens and get out.”
