Paul Merson says injured Arsenal star must play Champions League final

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·27 de maio de 2026

Paul Merson says injured Arsenal star must play Champions League final

Paul Merson wants Jurrien Timber to start Arsenal’s Champions League final against PSG even though the defender is still recovering from injury, with the former Arsenal midfielder believing that even a half-fit Timber would still improve the team significantly.

Timber has been sidelined for several weeks, and there had been concerns that the injury could place his participation at the World Cup this summer in doubt. Ben White has also spent time on the treatment table, leaving Arsenal with limited options at right back ahead of one of the biggest matches in the club’s history.

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Arsenal Facing Defensive Concerns

The Gunners may now be forced to use a player out of position in the Champions League final, although Cristhian Mosquera is capable of operating at right back despite still lacking experience at the highest level. Arsenal will need to be defensively organised against PSG, who possess one of the strongest attacking units in European football.

This represents a historic opportunity for Arsenal to win the Champions League for the first time, but PSG are expected to provide an extremely difficult challenge in the final. Matches of this magnitude often depend on concentration and defensive discipline, and any mistakes could prove costly against a side with significant attacking quality.

Merson Calls for Timber to Start

As Arsenal continue preparing for the hugely important fixture, Merson has insisted that Timber should be included in the starting line-up regardless of whether he has fully recovered from injury.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, he said:

‘I think Jurrien Timber has to play. There’s talk that he will be fit.

‘He’s got to play, even if he’s half fit I would take a chance on him because he has to play in that game.’

Merson’s comments underline the importance of Timber within Arsenal’s defensive structure and reflect the belief that his experience and composure could prove crucial in such a high-pressure encounter. Arsenal supporters will now wait to see whether the defender can recover in time to feature from the start in the Champions League final against PSG.

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