Micah Richards predicts who will win Champions League final between Arsenal and PSG | OneFootball

Arsenal take on Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Champions League in Budapest on May 30, and they will be desperate to win the club’s first-ever European title.

They booked their place in their first final of the elite European competition since 2006 with a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.

Manager Mikel Arteta will fancy the Gunners’ chances of getting the job done, and former Manchester City defender Micah Richards believes they can win the game if they score first.

However, he insists PSG are favourites despite Arsenal winning the league phase of the competition, a claim Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker agree with.

“PSG, I think,” Shearer replied to Lineker on the latest episode of The Rest is Football podcast when asked who he thinks will win the Champions League final.

“Just because they know what they are going into, and I don’t see as much pressure on them as Arsenal.

“The ability they’ve got in every single position, and Luis Enrique – he’s done it. I’m not sure it will be a great final, but I think they will have enough ability to get through.”

Lineker thinks Arsenal have a chance, but is not confident about their chances.

“I’ve just got this sneaky feeling Arsenal are going to do this double,” he said. “I think PSG have to be favourites going into the game – 60-40 in their favour.”

Richards believes the Gunners could have a huge advantage by scoring first and then going defensive for the remainder of the game.

“If you analyse the whole season, Arsenal have got a better chance than people are giving credit for,” he claimed.

“They won the league phase – they were the best team. I think if Arsenal score first, they win it, but I think PSG have more ways of playing. They can play defensively, so on that basis, I would say PSG win.

“If Arsenal score the first goal, they can lock it up. PSG have better individual players, so they have to be favourites, so if you are doing it by statistics, then you have to say PSG are going to win.”

Both teams have their strengths and weaknesses heading into the clash.

The Ligue 1 club want to win back-to-back Champions League trophies. By contrast, Arsenal are hoping to make history having never won it before.