Former Real Sociedad and Nigeria international midfielder Mutiu Adepoju in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa has tipped Martin Zubimendi to be the decisive factor in Arsenal’s quest for continental glory ahead of tomorrow’s UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain at the Puskás Aréna.
Speaking with Footy-Africa ahead of the highly anticipated clash in Hungary, Adepoju stated that the profound structural evolution Arsenal has undergone, attributing their defensive solidity and tactical maturity directly to the arrival of the Basque midfielder.
“They bring a wealth of experience to the table,” Adepoju told Footy-Africa. “For instance, their manager was a former player who understands the game deeply. Looking at players like Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, they have a squad of individuals who are entirely dedicated to the game. They will undoubtedly give a very good account of themselves, just as they have done over the years.”
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Adepoju, who spent a significant portion of his playing career in San Sebastián with Real Sociedad, noted that Zubimendi’s presence has fundamentally transformed the dynamics of Mikel Arteta’s midfield, most notably unlocking England international Declan Rice.
“Signing Zubimendi was an excellent piece of business for Arsenal,” the former midfielder added. “He has provided vital stability in the midfield, which has given the opportunity to Rice to move and be able to play. They are doing incredibly well, and I am not surprised that they got to where they are at the moment.”
The final features two newly crowned domestic champions with contrasting strengths. Paris Saint-Germain enters the tie with the most lethal attack in the Champions League this season, having scored the highest number of goals. Conversely, English Premier League champions Arsenal boast the competition’s finest defensive record, accumulating the highest number of clean sheets en route to Budapest.
Adepoju emphasized that despite the attacking and defensive metrics of both sides, tactical discipline and a low error rate will ultimately decide the winner of the trophy.
“Based on what we have seen of the two teams over the years, and even this season, we are going to see a very good, an electrifying game, in which whoever is going to win must be a team that didn’t make many mistakes,” Adepoju explained.
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“Both teams are balanced sides, and they have great players who have done very well in their various leagues and even in the Champions League to get to that level.”
Analyzing the tactical necessity of a balanced setup, Adepoju warned that any lopsidedness in game plan could prove fatal against top-tier opposition.
“Both are very, very important,” he continued. “If you have a good attack and the defense is not good, there is going to be a problem. And if you have a good defense but not a good attack, the only thing you can do is just to play a draw.
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“Tomorrow’s game is going to be electrifying. Both teams are going to be very, very careful not to concede, and we are going to see very little mistakes. The team that makes any mistake is going to really pay for it, because both teams have the kind of players that any team would want to have. It’s going to be very enterprising and very interesting.”
