Former Ajax and Nigeria winger Finidi George during an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa has expressed belief that composure, mental strength and experience will be crucial when Arsenal face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final in Budapest.
Arsenal are aiming to win Europe’s premier club competition for the first time, while PSG are seeking to successfully defend the title they won last season.
Speaking exclusively to Footy-Africa ahead of the final, Finidi — who won the Champions League with Ajax in 1995 — explained the qualities needed to triumph on football’s biggest stage.
“Getting to the Champions League final is a very difficult task,” he told Footy-Africa. “You have to have the mental toughness, the capability, the mindset, and the skills—everything is in play that day. But I think what makes you stand out on that day, as a player or as a team, is your calmness.”
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“In as much as you want to win, you must maintain that composure and control your nervousness very well. If you don’t do that and you concede a goal, the match can be lost. It is always difficult to come back in a final once you concede because it becomes a highly tactical, controlled game. If you don’t have that calmness and your team gets nervous, you are going to struggle.”
The former Super Eagles winger expects a fascinating encounter between two of Europe’s elite clubs:
“It’s going to be an interesting game for us to watch, and we are all looking forward to it. I’ll be sitting down with some friends to watch it because it’s the best of the best playing tomorrow.”
For Arsenal, it will be their first Champions League final appearance since their defeat by Barcelona in 2006, and many members of Mikel Arteta’s young squad will be experiencing the occasion for the first time.
Finidi believes PSG’s recent success in the competition could give the French champions a psychological advantage.
“Arsenal has been in the final before—against Barcelona in the mid-2000s—but for this current young squad, it’s entirely new territory. On the other hand, Paris Saint-Germain just won it last season, so that experience is fresh in their memory. They are returning with the same core group of players who already know what it takes to win.”
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“If Arsenal doesn’t have a player in their squad who has won a Champions League final, they will need to play very smartly to avoid conceding early. If they give up an early goal, their mental toughness will truly be tested.”
With Arteta and Luis Enrique on the touchline, Finidi — now head coach of Nigerian club Rivers United — expects a tactical battle between two of Europe’s finest managers.
“I expect a highly tactical match. PSG will likely push hard in the first 10 to 20 minutes to get an early goal, knowing it could mentally shake Arsenal. But if Arsenal can hold them off and keep it scoreless until halftime, they will come out much stronger in the second half.”
Arsenal are the third English club to appear in a European final this season after Aston Villa and Crystal Palace lifted the Europa League and UEFA Conference League trophies respectively.
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Finidi believes another triumph for an English side would underline the strength of the Premier League.
“Aston Villa and Crystal Palace have done a fantastic job winning the Europa League and the Conference League. It’s a great moment for British football. If a Premier League side can also win the Champions League, it would represent total European dominance this season.”
“We’ve seen this before with Spanish football when Real Madrid and Sevilla dominated Europe simultaneously, which really proves the quality of the league. Ultimately, I just want to see a great tactical performance and good football. May the best team win.”
