Arsenal have reached their first Champions League final for 20 years and they now know who they will play in the showpiece after Paris Saint-Germain downed Bayern Munich in an enthralling semi-final tie.
Arsenal’s lone previous appearance in the biggest match in European football came against a pre-Guardiola Barcelona back in 2006 when goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off after just 18 minutes but they still led 1-0 thanks to Sol Campbell heading home Thierry Henry’s 37th-minute free-kick. However, goals from Samuel Eto’o and Juliano Belletti in the final 15 minutes broke Gunner hearts and handed Barca a 2-1 triumph.
Mikel Arteta has now emulated Arsene Wenger in leading Arsenal to a Champions League final as Bukayo Saka’s goal on the stroke of half-time at a rocking Emirates Stadium in the semi-final second leg saw them battle past Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate and book a spot in the showpiece in Budapest.
They will face reigning champions PSG in the final at the Puskas Arena as Luis Enrique’s side triumphed in perhaps the most thrilling semi-final tie in Champions League history. The French outfit won the first leg 5-4 in one of the most entertaining games of all time before getting over the line with a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena thanks to an early goal from Ousmane Dembele that meant Harry Kane’s injury-time equaliser was in vain, as PSG notched a 6-5 aggregate win.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Champions League final:
When is the Champions League final?
The Champions League final between Arsenal and PSG is at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary on Saturday 30 May with kick-off at 5pm BST (6pm local time). That is a change from previous years when the match would kick-off at 8pm BST, with Uefa explaining earlier kick-off was selected to enhance the matchday experience for fans and to optimise logistics such as public transport.
How can I watch?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage on the channel from 7pm BST. A live stream will also be available via HBO Max and the HBO app. For the first time since the European Cup rebranded to the Champions League in 1992, the final won’t be free to watch in the UK.
In the United States, the match will be broadcast in English on CBS and streamed live on Paramount+. Spanish-language coverage is available on Univision and TUDN, which can also be streamed via Fubo.
TNT Sports Champions League schedule
Uefa Champions League Final
Super Weekend Live from the Selva Skybar Budapest.
TNT Sports 1 from 1030-1230 BST
Presenter: Reshmin Chowdhury
Reporter: Radzi Chinyanganya
TNT Sports look ahead to Saturday night’s big game live from Budapest, featuring an array of guests including Jack Wilshere, Joe Cole, Steve McManaman, Martin Keown as well as comedians Dara O’Briain, Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan, presenter Alex Brooker, broadcaster Piers Morgan and actor Matt Smith
Arsenal vs Paris Saint Germain, TNT Sports 1, KO 1700 BST
On-air from 1500 BST
Presenter: Laura Woods
Pundits: Steven Gerrard, Owen Hargreaves, Martin Keown and Jack Wilshere
Commentators: Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist
Reporters: Jules Breach and Danny Jamieson
Guest Reporter: Julien Laurens
Who is performing in the pre-match show?
The Killers are headlining the pre-match entertainment on the night. In recent years, artists such as Linkin Park and Lenny Kravitz have performed at the final
Arsenal’s route to the final
League phase – finished 1st
- MD 1: Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
- MD 2: Arsenal 2-0 Olympiakos
- MD 3: Arsenal 4-0 Atletico Madrid
- MD 4: Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
- MD 5: Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich
- MD 6: Club Brugge 0-3 Arsenal
- MD 7: Inter Milan 1-3 Arsenal
- MD 8: Arsenal 3-2 Kairat
Last 16
- 1st leg: Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 Arsenal
- 2nd leg: Arsenal 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen
- Aggregate: Arsenal 3-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Quarter-final
- 1st leg: Sporting 0-1 Arsenal
- 2nd leg: Arsenal 0-0 Sporting
- Aggregate: Arsenal 1-0 Sporting
Semi-final
- 1st leg: Atletico Madrid 1-1 Arsenal
- 2nd leg: Arsenal 1-0 Atletico Madrid
- Aggregate: Arsenal 2-1 Atletico Madrid
PSG’s route to the final
League phase – finished 11th
- MD 1: PSG 4-0 Atalanta
- MD 2: Barcelona 1-2 PSG
- MD 3: Bayer Leverkusen 2-7 PSG
- MD 4: PSG 1-2 Bayern Munich
- MD 5: PSG 5-3 Tottenham
- MD 6: Athletic Bilbao 0-0 PSG
- MD 7: Sporting 2-1 PSG
- MD 8: PSG 1-1 Newcastle
Knockout phase play-offs
- 1st leg: Monaco 2-3 PSG
- 2nd leg: PSG 2-2
- Aggregate: PSG 5-4 Monaco
Last 16
- 1st leg: PSG 5-2 Chelsea
- 2nd leg: Chelsea 0-3 PSG
- Aggregate: PSG 8-2 Chelsea
Quarter-final
- 1st leg: PSG 2-0 Liverpool
- 2nd leg: Liverpool 0-2 PSG
- Aggregate: PSG 4-0 Liverpool
Semi-final
- 1st leg: PSG 5-4 Bayern Munich
- 2nd leg: Bayern Munich 1-1 PSG
- Aggregate: PSG 6-5 Bayern Munich
Latest odds
Betting sites have made PSG the favourites to win this evening’s European clash with the reigning champions tipped to overcome the new Premier League winners in Arsenal. Having won the trophy for the very first time last year will the French side go back-to-back or can the Gunners claim their first Champions League title?
PSG to win – 13/10
Draw – 2/1
Arsenal to win – 23/10
Odds via Ladbrokes.
