Why aren’t Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres playing for Arsenal vs PSG in the Champions League final?
Arsenal are all set to take on Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League final this Saturday at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres will not be part of the starting lineup, with Mikel Arteta opting to leave both players on the bench.
The Spanish coach has chosen to start Myles Lewis-Skelly in midfield, in the role Eze typically occupies, alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard. As a result, the Gunners will feature a more defensive profile in that area of the pitch as they look to counter PSG’s attacking firepower.
Up front, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard retain their places on the wings. At center forward, Arteta has opted for Kai Havertz, meaning Gyokeres will begin the match among the substitutes.
Gyokeres’ Champions League numbers
The decision to leave Viktor Gyokeres on the bench is particularly noteworthy considering he had started every Champions League knockout-stage match for Arsenal up to this point. The Swedish striker started 11 of Arsenal’s 14 matches during their run in the competition, coming off the bench once and missing the other two due to injury.
Gyokeres is Arsenal’s second-leading scorer in this season’s Champions League campaign with five goals, trailing only Gabriel Martinelli, who has six. Kai Havertz, who will lead the line for Arsenal in Saturday’s final, appeared in just five Champions League matches because of injury issues and scored three goals.
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Luis Enrique sticks with his trusted lineup
While Mikel Arteta made changes to Arsenal’s starting lineup that differ from the selections he had used throughout the earlier stages of the UEFA Champions League, Luis Enrique has opted to place his trust in the players who guided Paris Saint-Germain to the final.
As a result, PSG’s starting XI features no major surprises compared to previous matches. The Spanish coach’s approach is clear: rely on the ball control and composure of midfielders Vitinha, Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz, while maximizing the attacking talent of forwards Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
