How Arsenal can beat Paris Saint-Germain in UEFA Champions League final - Owen Hargreaves describes 'the perfect blueprint'

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TNT Sports expert Owen Hargreaves believes Arsenal have what it takes to upset Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday evening.

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The Gunners ended their 22-year wait for a Premier League trophy after closing their domestic campaign with a win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park last Sunday.

Now Mikel Arteta’s side could go one further on Saturday, May 30, when they have the chance to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time ever, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max, but they will have to beat holders PSG in the final in Budapest.

The French giants are narrow favourites after another impressive campaign under Luis Enrique, but Hargreaves insists that the Premier League champions have a good enough defence to ”nullify” the imperious PSG attack.

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”Of course they can,” he said. ”They have got one of the best goalkeepers in the world and the best defence.

”There are no pictures on the trophy, there are no stats on the trophy, they have just got to win it.

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”They have got the perfect blueprint with the goalkeeper and the back four. Their set-pieces are amazing, so that is three variables already.

”Of course, if Paris Saint-Germain score early they can steamroll you. If you look at the way that Luis Enrique has done it, in the first game against Bayern Munich he played a basketball match, it was 5-4.

”In the second one, he went to their stadium a goal up and just shut up shop and played on the counter.

”A one-off final is different. Obviously PSG are favourites just because of the players they have. I think Arsenal, with their defence, they can nullify them for sure.”

PSG finished top of Ligue 1 this season, six points clear of their closest rivals, Lens.

They also booked their place in the Champions League final in style, beating Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich 6-5 on aggregate in the semi-finals.

The German club pushed their French rivals to the limit in a thrilling first leg but Hargreaves believes Arsenal need to avoid making the same mistakes in Budapest.

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”It is going to be fascinating to watch because I think PSG are the best watch in the world of football,” he said. ”The rotations they have, the quality of the players.

”I just look at Arsenal’s team, they are top. I think Arsenal, rather than just sitting and playing on the counter, I think they have to try and get after PSG, but be mindful of the big spaces.

”I think with Bayern, there were some big spaces in the game.”

Hargreaves believes The Gunners can cause PSG problems when the ball is in the air.

”I don’t think they will try to stop Arsenal,” he said. ”They will go after Arsenal.

”The biggest issue they are going to have is set-pieces. They just don’t have the size of Arsenal.

”I am sure Luis Enrique will come up with a way to keep the ball and avoid corners, free-kicks, fouls. If the ball is up in the air, PSG are going to have a problem.”

If anyone can take on PSG, it is Arsenal - Hoddle

Fellow TNT Sports pundit Glenn Hoddle is also of the opinion that Arsenal can hurt PSG.

He agrees that the French side will be favourites, especially having won the Champions League last year, but thinks the one team that could take them on is The Gunners.

”If ever there was a team that could take on Paris Saint-Germain in a one-off game, it is Arsenal," he said.

”I think if they play it right, they have got a hell of a chance, more of a chance than people give them, I think.

”PSG are a great side, they have lovely moments in them but Arsenal are economical, they can destroy you."

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Former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott hopes that Arsenal can make it a clean sweep of European trophies for English sides, after Crystal Palace won the Conference League to join Europa League champions Aston Villa.

”Hopefully there is a clean sweep there and then we go on and win the World Cup," he added.

"Considering there was a lot of negative talk when we went into the knockout stages of the Champions League, all of a sudden, we are looking strong again.”

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