One-hundred and eighty-eight games later, it all comes down to this.
On Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal face each other in the Champions League final in Budapest. Luis Enrique’s side will be looking to hold on to the maiden title they won last year, while Mikel Arteta’s newly crowned Premier League champions are looking to win Europe’s premier competition for the first time.
Before all that, there was a stoppage-time header from a goalkeeper, an instant classic served up by two continental giants and a host of eye-catching performances from stars including Michael Olise, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and others.
Here, Michael Cox, Oli Kay, Jack Lang, Mark Carey and Caoimhe O’Neill look back at the 2025-26 Champions League.
What was your moment of this Champions League season?
Michael Cox: Benfica’s Anatoliy Trubin going up from the back to score a stoppage-time header to qualify Benfica for the knockout stage.
It doesn’t get much better than a goalkeeper scoring, and this one was unique as (a) Benfica were winning anyway, and the extra goal was about goal difference in the league phase rather than changing the result in this game, and (b) a couple of minutes beforehand, Trubin didn’t realise the situation, so was wasting time.
Portuguese commentary for Trubin’s goal 🇵🇹
🎙️ @sporttvportugal#UCL pic.twitter.com/9ogKBDhKMJ
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 31, 2026
Oli Kay: Yes, it has to be the Trubin header. But Bodo/Glimt knocking out last season’s finalists Inter was amazing too.
In an era where the competition is dominated by the richest clubs, to see a Norwegian club beating Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in the league phase, then beating Inter home and away, then going 3-0 up against Sporting CP in the first leg of their round of 16 tie, was just extraordinary.
Jack Lang: Not so much a moment as a series of them, but the opening 20 minutes of the first leg of Atletico Madrid vs Tottenham Hotspur were unlike anything I’ve seen before. Antonin Kinsky slipping, Micky van de Ven sliding, Kinsky getting his feet tangled up and then being taken off by then-coach Igor Tudor with Atleti already three goals up… genuinely astonishing.
Antonin Kinsky is helpless to prevent Julian Alvarez from scoring (Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Mark Carey: Strangely, it was a moment off the pitch, but only because of the spectacle we had seen on it. Vincent Kompany was forced to watch Bayern Munich’s 5-4 first leg defeat to PSG from the stands due to suspension, meaning he only saw Luis Enrique during the post-match interviews. The pair embraced, shaking hands and sharing a laugh — knowing that they had just put on one of the greatest spectacles in the history of the competition.
Luis Enrique and Vincent Kompany share a laugh over the insane match their teams just played 😅 pic.twitter.com/HSEr75vFQp
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 28, 2026
Caoimhe O’Neill: Trubin’s header was joyous. There have been some great moments this season, but it is hard to think of a more dramatic moment.
Who has been the best player?
Cox: On the basis of both combined goals and assists and entertainment factor, it’s Kvaratskhelia.
In keeping with his team-mates, PSG’s Georgia winger was fairly flat in the league phase, but he’s exploded into life in the knockouts, and was particularly thrilling in the madcap first-leg win against Bayern. He also deserves credit for his effort without possession — that, as much as anything, sums up why PSG are now the side to beat.
Kay: In contrast to this season’s Premier League, the level among the best attacking players has been incredibly high. But the way Vitinha performs in these fast, furious games — high pressure, high energy — is captivating. The PSG midfielder has arguably been the best player in the world over 18 months, which I definitely don’t remember thinking when he was struggling to get a game at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Lang: It’s testament to PSG’s brilliance in the knockout stages that you could legitimately choose any one of six or seven players here. I’ll go for Joao Neves. He presses like a demon, gets stuck in, passes smartly, scores important goals and rarely misses a game. Above all, he is just so incredibly involved in all phases of the game. Even the word ‘midfielder’ doesn’t really do him justice. Neves plays… everywhere.
Carey: It is still such a joy to watch Vitinha dictate a game of football, with a continued influence over the way PSG play. He is the ultimate tempo-controller, having made 1,553 passes so far in this year’s competition. For context, that is nearly 400 passes more than Bayern Munich’s Aleksandar Pavlovic, his closest competitor (1,161). The Portugal international might not always get the headlines, but he will always have his fingerprints on the game whether you notice or not.
Vitinha is Paris Saint-Germain’s creator in chief (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
O’Neill: Perhaps an odd shout given I haven’t included him in my team of the year (there’s just so much attacking talent), but I’m going to take this opportunity to give Luis Diaz his flowers. It has been like stargazing to watch the man known as “Lucho” in this Bayern set-up.
The Colombia international provided seven goals and four assists, including a belter of a goal against PSG in that semi-final first leg plus an assist in that same game. He cooked up his own storm — and it was a joy to behold.
What about the best game?
Cox: PSG 5-4 Bayern — the best game I’ve ever been to. Maybe the best game of the decade?
There’s always lots of slightly contrarian “well, the defending wasn’t very good” comments after this type of contest, but I actually don’t think the defending was bad at all. The defending was simply high-risk.
Achraf Hakimi was at right-back but pressing the opposition left-back. Is that bad? I don’t think so — it’s a choice. Sometimes the defence was exposed, and sometimes Hakimi was so high up he could tee up team-mates for goals.
Kay: PSG 5-4 Bayern was the best, but Bayern 4-3 Real Madrid in the quarter-final second leg was pretty spectacular, too.
Carey: I don’t think anyone can disagree with that first-leg semi-final. Not only was it the best game of the season, but it has a case to be one of the best games of the past 10 years in the competition.
Lang: Obviously PSG vs Bayern. Just non-stop dribbles, counter-attacks, through balls, amazing finishes… all of football’s good bits. Would I want to watch that every week? Perhaps not. But as a one-off sugar rush, it was fantastic.
O’Neill: I’m struggling to think of a better game since perhaps the last men’s World Cup final in 2022? To mention any others from this season would do that PSG-Bayern first leg a disservice.
And the best goal?
Cox: I don’t know if it was technically the best goal, but I loved Eberechi Eze’s spin and shot against Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16. He just hit the ball so hard, using the turn and the momentum to unleash everything in his body. It was just so smooth.
Highly requested 🫡 https://t.co/GcgsbsNZTu pic.twitter.com/o9edvKvpfJ
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 29, 2026
Kay: It was such a miserable season for Tottenham, so I’ll remind their supporters of one special moment: Micky van de Ven’s Son Heung-min tribute act against FC Copenhagen in the league phase. There is something so enjoyable about a centre-back dribbling all the way through like that. In an era when everyone on the pitch can play, it’s a wonder more defenders don’t try it.
With 81% of the vote you chose Micky van de Ven’s wonder goal against Copenhagen as November’s Goal of the Month 🤩 pic.twitter.com/w1LVBpANRl
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 2, 2025
Carey: I really enjoyed Federico Valverde’s third goal against Manchester City in the round-of-16 first leg. The scooped pass from Brahim Diaz was perfect, but the Uruguay international’s first touch beyond Marc Guehi was so delicate, before volleying from close range to score his hat-trick. Everything about it was elite.
😮💨 HAT-TRICK. Ft. @FedeeValverde pic.twitter.com/XsrcAhrDkP
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) March 12, 2026
Lang: Vitinha against Chelsea in PSG’s 5-2 round-of-16 first-leg win.
Fine, it stemmed from goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen passing the ball straight to a PSG player, but everything from that point was so classy. Kvaratskhelia could easily have shot but was smart and unselfish enough to square the ball to Vitinha. The midfielder’s finish — a deft little lob, a little scoop of magic dust from his pouch — was both gorgeous and, because it humiliated Jorgensen for a second time in about three seconds, very funny.
For UK readers…
A sloppy error at the back and Chelsea gift the lead back to PSG 😳@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/BzdQnUfPvi
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 11, 2026
For U.S. readers…
PSG BACK IN FRONT WITH AN INSANE TOUCH AND FINISH FROM VITINHA 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/ZB7HGuk0n3
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 11, 2026
O’Neill: This was far from Mohamed Salah’s best season, but it might be his final one in the Champions League depending on where his career takes him next. So for me, there is only one winner — and that is Salah’s goal against Galatasaray to bring up his 50th goal in the competition.
It was a typical Salah finish — and came after a lovely assist from Florian Wirtz, too.
Salah special for Champions League goal number 50 💫#UCL pic.twitter.com/CDY8s3dWn2
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 20, 2026
What’s your best XI from this season?
What’s your prediction for the final?
Cox: I backed Inter to win last year’s final and they lost 5-0, so I’m staying out of this one.
Kay: I predicted Arsenal to win the moment the round-of-16 draw was made, so I’ll stick with that — more out of consistency than conviction. Technically and creatively, PSG are a class above, but if there’s one team who might have the defensive strength to frustrate them, it’s Arsenal.
Carey: Arsenal will stay in the game for long periods, but PSG will be irresistible.
Arsenal lost to Paris Saint-Germain in last season’s Champions League semi-finals (Lionel Hahn/Getty Images)
Lang: PSG have so many ways of hurting you that defending well is only part of the puzzle — you also have to be ruthless when the chance comes to attack Luis Enrique’s side. Arsenal will make a game of it, but I cannot see them outscoring PSG.
O’Neill: Why do I get the feeling Arsenal will find a way to frustrate PSG and maybe blunt their attack? Is that even possible? I don’t know — but Arteta should look straight to the Arsenal Women playbook from last season’s Champions League final, when they ground out a 1-0 win against favourites Barcelona to everybody’s surprise. This feels like it could be a similar smash and grab if Arsenal are to succeed.
What’s the one thing you’d change for next season if you could?
Cox: Whatever you think of the league phase, there’s just no reason it needs to be eight games rather than six. Then there’s a play-off round. Then it’s the round of 16. It takes so long to get going, and players this season seem exhausted.
Kay: The number of games would be more tolerable if it were creating more spaces for clubs outside the biggest, richest leagues. But no, the competition is more elitist than ever.
Carey: Some greater clarity or a change on this handball law. It is boring to talk about, but even the slightest of brushes of a hand are leading to penalties, and becoming deciding factors in crucial games. Someone, please, sort it out.
Lang: I agree with Michael. League-phase matches at the end of January… not for me, sorry.
O’Neill: I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again — give the winners of the league phase a shield to keep. Put something shiny on the path to the best trophy of all and see what spice it adds.
