PSG vs. Arsenal key battles: Where Champions League final could be won and lost as Mikel Arteta and Luis Enrique meet again

Paris Saint-Germain will look to deny Arsenal their first ever Champions League trophy on Saturday, when the two sides clash at Puskas Arena in the 2025-26 final.

The two teams could hardly be more contrasting, with the French club revered around Europe for their attacking style of play, while their English opponents have mastered the art of set pieces.

PSG boss Luis Enrique will be familiar with the approach of Mikel Arteta and Arsenal considering they faced the Gunners in the semi-final of last season's competition.

However, fresh from winning the Premier League, Arsenal will believe that they have the tools necessary to cement their place in the history books.

Here, Sports Mole looks at the key battles that could decide the Champions League final.

Declan Rice to win the midfield battle?

To suggest that PSG's midfield are not physical or intense would be incorrect, but Arsenal are arguably the most physically dominant team in the world.

Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard have demonstrated their ability to harass opponents in the middle of the pitch, and they have been key when pressing and defending deep.

Vitinha, Warren Zaire-Emery and Joao Neves are more technical than their Arsenal counterparts, and they have all enjoyed a relatively relaxed schedule in Ligue 1, so perhaps any physical disadvantage could be offset by their fresher minds and bodies.

Myles Lewis-Skelly could be Arteta's wildcard on Saturday as the teenager played a limited role for much of the season, only to be the spark the team needed in the final parts of their successful Premier League campaign.

If PSG are able to deal with the power and pace of Arsenal's midfield, they will be in a strong position on Saturday, but the Gunners must make the most of their own physical prowess.

Ousmane Dembele: William Saliba and Gabriel's nightmare?

PSG's frontline is fluid, and all of their attackers are capable of threatening Arsenal's backline, but centre-forward Ousmane Dembele could be the difference maker.

While the Frenchman might be listed as a striker on paper, he rarely stays in one position, preferring instead to shift across the pitch and overload particular areas.

Dembele played a key role in the opening goal at the Emirates in the first leg of their semi-final tie last season, dropping deep to break Arsenal's press before bursting forward to score himself.

His movement may force William Saliba or Gabriel Magalhaes to follow him, but that would leave gaps in Arsenal's defence, and that could be unthinkable for Arteta.

Leaving Dembele free would also be risky as it could allow PSG to advance up the pitch more easily, though there is ultimately no perfect way to deal with him.

Set pieces: Different rules in the Champions League?

The threat that Arsenal pose from set pieces will not be a surprise to PSG, but stopping their dead-ball deliveries is far from straightforward.

Arteta's side would not have won the Premier League title without their incredible record from corners and free kicks given they scored 23 times from such situations, the most in the division.

It should be noted that their five set-piece goals in the Europe this season is only the joint sixth best return in the Champions League, with the Parisiens having netted eight times from set pieces in this edition of the competition.

Referees in Europe have often been more strict than those in the Premier League when it comes to officiating the penalty area, so the English challengers may not enjoy the same level of leniency on the weekend.

Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi: Devastating full-backs

One of the reasons why PSG have proven so effective in the final third has been the use of full-backs Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi, who have both been given license by Enrique to roam across the pitch.

Mendes has scored two goals and provided two assists in the Champions League this term, while Hakimi has scored once and set up another six goals.

Both make late runs into the final third, and it remains to be seen if wingers like Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke would be able to track them all game.

Nico O'Reilly played left-back for Manchester City in the EFL Cup final in March, and he managed to take advantage of Saka's lapse to break the deadlock, bursting into the penalty area to nod home the opening goal.

Similar mistakes on Saturday could prove costly, though PSG will be a threat from everywhere, meaning all eleven Arsenal players will have to be switched on defensively if they want to walk away with the Champions League trophy.