Who makes it into a combined Arsenal and PSG XI? Saka misses out… | OneFootball

Arsenal and PSG meet in the Champions League final this Saturday but who would make a combined XI of both teams?

Mikel Arteta will face former Barcelona team-mate Luis Enrique looking to be the first Arsenal manager to lift the famous trophy while his counterpart is aiming to make PSG just the second team to retain the Champions League.

Here’s who we think would get into a combined XI for both teams.

GK: David Raya

It’s an easy choice as David Raya is one of just a few showstoppers to have ever had a genuine shout for Premier League Player of the Season.

The Spaniard has been in excellent form this year and as well as picking up the most Premier League clean sheets, he has also matched that feat in the Champions League and has conceded just four goals in the competition this season.

With PSG’s wealth of attackers, you suspect Raya will be crucial if Arsenal are to lift the trophy.

RB: Achraf Hakimi

Right-back is an area of concern going into the final for Arsenal with Jurrien Timber and Ben White both touch and go, while the position is one of PSG’s great strengths.

Hakimi has been passed fit to play and stopping him should be near the top of Arteta’s to-do list.

CB: William Saliba

If there is one area you could highlight as a potential weakness in this PSG team, it’s at centre back; so the Arsenal duo get in.

Gabriel’s ability in the air means he often gets the headlines but many would suggest Saliba is the most complete centre back.

The Frenchman had a particularly strong second half of the campaign and will be a key figure in France’s World Cup squad.

CB: Gabriel Magalhaes

Gabriel has been so crucial to Arsenal’s efforts this year and not just for his defensive work either.

The Brazilian is the face of the modern Arsenal approach and while critics may not like their corner tactics, few can deny Gabriel’s effectiveness.

He will be a threat come the final and PSG need to have a plan to stop him.

LB: Nuno Mendes

Good luck trying to spot a flaw in Nuno Mendes.

He has everything you would want in a fullback. He’s fast, has an engine so he can go all day and is great at both attacking and defending.

With Arsenal’s right-back concerns, any makeshift option has the difficult task of stopping both Mendes and Kvaratskhelia.

CM: Joao Neves

Joao Neves may well be PSG’s most important player as someone who can create chances and progress the ball, as well as all the defensive work.

He is the perfect complement to Vitinha with both understanding when to push forward and when to hold back and the Portuguese 21-year-old has showed an unexpected eye for goal, including a strike in the semi-final against Bayern.

CM: Vitinha

When Vitinha joined a PSG side that had Messi, Mbappe and Neymar in its ranks, no one would have predicted that he would be the player crucial to Champions League success.

He summarises the hard-working but extremely talented player mould that Enrique loves and he is easily one of the best midfielders in the world.

Comparisons to Modric and Xavi have been made but Vitinha may well surpass them both if he continues on the same trajectory.

More on the Champions League final on Football365

CM: Declan Rice

Rice has been fantastic ever since joining Arsenal and every year it seems he gets better.

The former West Ham player is the perfect blend of a six and an eight and even though he had a slow final third of the season due to fatigue, he remained a crucial element of Arsenal’s team.

Arteta needs to avoid overthinking it and pushing Rice away from his favoured spot and with Arsenal expected to be defending a lot, they will need the Englishman to transition attacks quickly.

RW: Desire Doue

Arsenal fans will argue that Bukayo Saka deserves this spot but Doue’s output puts him on a different level.

The Frenchman was key to PSG’s final win last season, scoring twice and assisting another, and while this year has been a little more challenging in terms of output, he remains one of the most exciting talents in the world.

ST: Ousmane Dembele

Kai Havertz has been out injured for much of the season and Viktor Gyokeres has done okay if not great in his debut Arsenal season so Dembele is an easy pick for this one.

Since moving centrally, the Frenchman has lived up to his high potential and just 2,110 minutes this season mean he should be fresh for the final and the World Cup.

LW: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

If Kvaratskhelia has a good game, chances are the trophy is returning to Paris.

The Georgian will be licking his lips at the prospect of a makeshift right-back for Arsenal and the likes of Rice will be called upon to double up on the former Napoli player.

Another star performance in Budapest and he will be a Ballon d’Or contender, even in a World Cup year.