Bukayo Saka has dropped a hint about which team Arsenal would prefer to face in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League final, scheduled for May 30, 2026, in Budapest. The Gunners secured their place in the final after a 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium, with Saka scoring the decisive goal in the first half. This win gave Arsenal a 2-1 aggregate triumph following a 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Metropolitano.
Arsenal have reached their first Champions League final in 20 years, since losing to Barcelona in the 2006 final, and are determined to win their first-ever trophy in the competition. The identity of their opponent will be determined on Wednesday, when Bayern Munich host Paris Saint-Germain at the Allianz Arena. PSG won the first leg 5-4 in France, leaving the tie finely balanced.
Saka's Hint on Preferred Opponent
During the post-match press conference, match winner Bukayo Saka was asked which team Arsenal would prefer to face in the final. Initially hesitant, he gave a media-trained response before hinting at a preference. "Come on, man... You can't ask me that. I'd have to give a media-trained answer. You know deep down who we'd want to face in the final," Saka told CBS Sports, as quoted by the Evening Standard. While he did not name a specific team, many believe he was referring to Paris Saint-Germain, who eliminated Arsenal in the semi-final last season. PSG went on to win their first Champions League title, beating Inter Milan 5-0 in the final, and are now aiming for a second consecutive final appearance.
Arteta Reflects on Arsenal's Journey
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was emotional after the match, describing the night as one of the biggest at the club in the last two decades. "It's very tough and difficult, but again, we've all been so aligned on the desire and ambition that we have for the club. Then you have to be lucky sometimes, things have to go your way," Arteta said, as quoted by arsenal.com. "We put obviously so much work, passion and belief into what we do, and today we got rewarded to have an incredible day in Budapest in a few weeks."
Arsenal will now shift focus to the Premier League, where they hold a commanding position in the title race. A win against West Ham would put them on the verge of their first league title in 22 years.
Supercomputer Predicts Arsenal's Opponent
Earlier, Opta's supercomputer predicted Arsenal's opponent in the Champions League final after the Gunners beat Atletico Madrid. Either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich will advance to face Mikel Arteta's side in Budapest on May 30, 2026.
