The big talking points ahead of PSG and Arsenal's Champions League final meeting

[p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Gunners[/a] have never won the trophy but after clinching the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arteta-mikel/lAbHYaQM/"]Mikel Arteta[/a]'s side believe they can dethrone the French champions.[/p][p][i][b]AFP Sport[/b][/i] looks at five key talking points [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/psg-CjhkPw0k/?mid=EJZRaQ15"]ahead of the clash at the Puskas Arena.[/a][/p][h2]Arsenal's set-piece threat[/h2][p]This season, Arteta's team have sometimes struggled to create from open play, but they have produced incredible danger from dead-ball situations.[/p][p]Arsenal's physical players cause havoc at corners, particularly centre-back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gabriel/tEcnVXMS/"]Gabriel Magalhaes[/a], and they will look to put [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]PSG[/a] goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/safonov-matvey/zJF3W9Rq/"]Matvey Safonov[/a] under heavy pressure, perhaps their weakest link.[/p][p]Set-piece coach Nicolas Jover is considered the best in the business, and nearly 40 percent of Arsenal's goals in their run to the Premier League title came from dead-ball situations.[/p][p][b]"People may say that they don't score team goals, but who cares about that?"[/b] said PSG coach Luis Enrique, acknowledging Arsenal's effective tactics. [b]"Ask any Arsenal fan and I'm sure they're delighted."[/b][/p][embed guid="5b17d1c5-7813-4cb8-8b00-c97b36eb303c" url="https://x.com/Arsenal/status/2060456746942865427" social-type="twitter" /][h2]PSG's strong left flank[/h2][p]Arsenal are boosted by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/timber-jurrien/hSaoLOM4/"]Jurrien Timber[/a]'s return to fitness after a groin injury, particularly given that the biggest problem for Arteta to solve is how to handle PSG's left flank.[/p][p]Winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kvaratskhelia-khvicha/bNuGt0hE/"]Khvicha Kvaratskhelia[/a] has arguably been the competition's best player, scoring 10 goals for the French side, and behind him at left-back, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mendes-nuno/ne2xCTJj/"]Nuno Mendes[/a] is a dynamic force going forward.[/p][p]Arteta must decide whether to put Timber straight into the line-up after two-and-a-half months out, or if he will deploy centre-back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mosquera-cristhian/4O15XViB/"]Cristhian Mosquera[/a] on the right.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rice-declan/zkQ8Cm6n/"]Declan Rice[/a] has also been used there in Timber's absence, but the midfielder will be vital in the centre of the pitch up against PSG's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vitinha/Sz9SH7zj/"]Vitinha[/a].[/p][image alt="Kvaratskhelia stats in the Champions League this season" id="2c76440b-9a26-40d2-8fbb-e93a772c85a3" credit-line="REUTERS / Catherine Steenkeste / Flashscore" guid="fedcdf67-a1df-4a24-b7a9-ff894231b699" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][h2]Mileage check[/h2][p]Many of Arsenal's likely starting line-up in the final have played over 3,000 minutes each this season across all competitions, with Rice, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/saliba-william/EgIM3sB7/"]William Saliba[/a], Gabriel, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zubimendi-martin/fNI6Gsdr/"]Martin Zubimendi[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/raya-david/nkVV0IXb/"]David Raya[/a] hitting 4,000.[/p][p]Arteta has stayed faithful to a core of players and insisted his team should not use fatigue as an "excuse".[/p][p][b]"That's the context and that's the scenario, and we have to embrace it and especially enjoy the opportunity,"[/b] said the Spanish coach last month, in the thick of the title race.[/p][embed guid="82dc12c6-1409-483a-ab19-275fb59a6452" url="https://x.com/PSG_English/status/2060589252576944615" social-type="twitter" /][p]By contrast, Luis Enrique has been able to rotate and rest many of his first-choice players in Ligue 1 as PSG claimed their 12th title in the last 14 years.[/p][p]Only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pacho-william/KA5AQsy0/"]Willian Pacho[/a], Vitinha and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zaire-emery-warren/neJeseDL/"]Warren Zaire-Emery[/a] have more than 3,000 minutes banked this season.[/p][p][b]"Rest is also an integral part of preparation, especially when we're playing matches like these,"[/b] said Luis Enrique before the final.[/p][p]PSG did compete at the Club World Cup last summer, though, increasing the need for the Asturian coach to balance his players' game time.[/p][h2]Clean sheet machine[/h2][p]The statistics of both sides lead many to imagine the final will turn out to be a question of whether the 'unstoppable force' of PSG can break down Arsenal’s 'immovable object'.[/p][p]Arsenal have conceded just six goals in the tournament, staying unbeaten, and goalkeeper David Raya has nine clean sheets, matching the all-time record.[/p][p]In front of him, Gabriel and William Saliba form a formidable centre-back pairing for Ballon d'Or winner [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dembele-ousmane/zsMC2Ec0/"]Ousmane Dembele[/a] to try and break through, amply supported by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doue-desire/KIUWH2Jq/"]Desire Doue[/a].[/p][p]PSG have scored 44 goals in the tournament, one short of the record of 45 set by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a] in the 1999-2000 campaign.[/p][embed guid="6f0d8787-bb42-43ec-822f-155b668d65d0" url="https://x.com/ChampionsLeague/status/2060468346600988866" social-type="twitter" /][h2]A Luis Enrique surprise[/h2][p]PSG outgunned [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayern-munich/nVp0wiqd/"]Bayern Munich[/a] with a thrilling 5-4 victory in the first leg of the semi-final clash, leaving the world licking their lips and waiting for more entertainment from the second leg.[/p][p]However, wily coach Luis Enrique changed his game plan considerably, and PSG played far more conservatively in Munich, securing a 1-1 draw to reach the final.[/p][p]Always keen to spring a surprise on his opponents, Luis Enrique said the Ligue 1 champions would adapt their game to face Arsenal.[/p][p][b]"We'll have to adapt to play and defend in a different way compared to what we usually do if we want to get the better of them,"[/b] said Luis Enrique.[/p][p]Goalkeeper Safonov blasted the ball off the pitch several times as a strategy to congest the areas around dangerous Bayern Munich winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olise-michael/E5pvwqkK/"]Michael Olise[/a].[/p][p][b]"We have analysed everything they do in every phase," [/b]said Arteta.[/p][p][b]"We've prepared the possible scenarios. We try to understand the purpose behind what they do and what they want to achieve."[/b][/p]