Liberation of Premier League title can help Arsenal blunt PSG and join Europe’s elite

Mikel Arteta must find the balance between newfound freedom and tried-and-tested solidity against Luis Enrique’s attacking machine

Welcome to Budapest: city of stew, city of pavement squares, city of men in cotton smocks offering brisk muscular relaxation in geothermally heated cubicles.

Eleven days on from the https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/may/24/arsenal-premier-league-title-symbol-of-the-metropolitan-swagger-and-metropolitan-angst-london">profound emotional release of winning the Premier League title it seems fitting Arsenal will approach their season’s endgame in a city that is basically perfect for a restorative summer city break.

Saturday afternoon at the Puskas Arena already looks like a twin-track event for Mikel Arteta’s team, an occasion that changes shape according to the angle from which you see it.

On one hand, victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final would represent the greatest day in Arsenal’s history.

On the other, this is an occasion that feels strangely light, fun, celebratory, a free-hit kind of final.