Gary Neville Tips PSG to Beat Arsenal in UEFA Champions League Final, Cites Luis Enrique’s Winning Mentality

Gary Neville has named Paris Saint-Germain as his favourites to win the 2026 UEFA Champions League final against Arsenal, even as the Gunners arrive at the fixture fresh from ending a 22-year wait to be crowned Premier League champions.

Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, the former Manchester United and England defender acknowledged Arsenal’s rise to the upper tier of world football but maintained that PSG possess qualities that give them the edge in the showpiece event. “It’s going to be tough for them, I’ll be honest with you, because I think that PSG are on a different level,” Neville said.

Central to Neville’s assessment is his view of PSG head coach Luis Enrique. “They have what I refer to as one of those obsessive – and I mean this as a compliment – maniac-type managers who are just winners, serial winners,” he explained. “They have that ruthless mentality within them, that they will do anything to win, and they consistently achieve victory. Luis Enrique is arguably the greatest manager in the world at this moment.”

Arsenal secured the Premier League title at the weekend, lifting the trophy ahead of Manchester City in what represented the club’s first English league championship since the 2003-04 Invincibles season. Despite that domestic achievement, Neville stopped short of installing Mikel Arteta’s side as UCL favourites.

The stakes are historically significant for both clubs. PSG are chasing back-to-back Champions League titles in the competition’s current format — a feat only Real Madrid have previously achieved. Arsenal, meanwhile, are pursuing their first ever European Cup triumph, having suffered heartbreak in the 2006 Champions League final, where they were beaten by Barcelona in Paris.

Luis Enrique, who won the treble with Barcelona in 2014-15 and guided Spain to UEFA Nations League glory, has transformed PSG into a collective unit following the high-profile departures of Kylian Mbappé and Neymar. The Spanish coach’s methods have drawn widespread praise throughout the 2025-26 European campaign, with PSG navigating the knockout rounds with a blend of tactical discipline and attacking versatility.

Arsenal’s route to the final has similarly attracted attention, with Arteta’s side demonstrating resilience and consistency across both domestic and European competitions. The Gunners’ Premier League triumph adds momentum heading into the final, though converting league form into European success has historically proven a different challenge altogether.

The Champions League final is set to be one of the most anticipated club fixtures in recent memory, pitting an English side hungry for a first continental crown against a French outfit on the verge of joining elite company in the annals of the competition.