Andrea Pirlo Backs Arsenal to Exploit PSG Weakness Ahead of 2026 UEFA Champions League Final

Andrea Pirlo, the former AC Milan, Juventus, and Italy midfielder, believes Arsenal enter the 2026 UEFA Champions League final with a tangible edge over Paris Saint-Germain — and he has pinpointed exactly where that advantage lies.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Pirlo drew attention to Arsenal’s aerial quality and their well-documented proficiency from set-pieces as the key differentiator between the two finalists. “Arsenal have two central defenders [Gabriel and Saliba] and a striker [Kai Havertz] who are very good in the air,” he said. “They will look to take advantage. Arsenal have the ability in these situations because they study it. PSG does not have these big jumpers, so they will have to look for different solutions.”

The assessment carries statistical weight. Arsenal recorded 24 goals from set-pieces in the Premier League this season, underlining just how central that element has been to Mikel Arteta‘s system. The combination of Gabriel Magalhães, William Saliba, and Kai Havertz — all physically imposing and technically reliable in aerial duels — gives Arsenal a dimension that PSG’s squad is not well-equipped to handle defensively.

The final is scheduled for May 30, 2026, at the Allianz Arena in Munich, bringing together two of the continent’s most consistent sides over the course of this campaign. For Arsenal, the occasion carries enormous historical significance. Arteta’s side clinched the Premier League title this season — their first top-flight championship since 2004 — and now stand one result away from a first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy.

PSG, meanwhile, will be managed by Luis Enrique, who guided the Parisian club through the knockout stages but now faces the tactical challenge Pirlo has identified. Without the kind of imposing aerial presence that Arsenal possess, PSG will need to devise alternative strategies to defend set-piece situations and limit the damage from dead-ball scenarios.

Pirlo’s remarks align with a broader narrative that has surrounded Arsenal’s European run this season. Their ability to score in a variety of ways — through open play, transitions, and structured set-pieces — has made them a difficult opponent to plan against. The fact that a figure of Pirlo’s tactical pedigree is highlighting the aerial threat suggests it is a concern PSG’s coaching staff will be acutely aware of in their preparations.

The 2026 final represents a significant moment for English football as well. Arsenal’s appearance in the showpiece event comes in the same year England is co-hosting the FIFA World Cup alongside the United States and Canada, adding to a summer already laden with high-profile football occasions.

With kick-off approaching at the Allianz Arena, all attention will fall on whether Arteta’s side can convert their domestic momentum — and the structural advantages Pirlo has outlined — into European glory for the first time in the club’s history.