Arsenal have arrived in Budapest for the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, and a pre-match ripple has centered on one midfielder: Gaizka Mendieta picked Declan Rice as the player most likely to swing a one-off showpiece in Arsenal's favour.
Mendieta highlighted Rice's ability to dictate tempo and his aerial threat at dead-ball situations, saying Rice takes control of matches and is particularly dangerous on set pieces — traits the former midfielder pointed to from Arsenal's recent runs in both the Champions League and the Premier League. Mendieta added that in fixtures of this scale leaders must step forward, and praised the patience shown in Mikel Arteta's long-term project at the club.
The backing for Rice arrives alongside a different late-game scenario floated by Teddy Sheringham. Sheringham resurrected the memory of Manchester United's 1999 finishes — goals in the 91st and 93rd minutes that turned a final — and suggested Arsenal have two players who can replicate that sort of decisive finishing. He named Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze as the pair who, if two individuals are required to rise in stoppage time, possess the composure and strike technique to deliver.
Sheringham emphasised their finishing range, saying both can score from around 25 yards if presented the right ball, and that their precision from inside or outside the box makes them credible late-game match-winners. The comparison to 1999 casts the final as one where a single moment or a pair of moments could rewrite Arsenal history.
Context sharpens the stakes. Arsenal are chasing their first-ever Champions League title and the chance to complete a league-and-European Cup double; the club's only previous final defeat came in 2006 when they lost 2-1 to Barcelona. That history hangs behind the present: a single match in Budapest that could close a long continental gap for the club.
But the match-up is not simply about one midfielder or a pair of goalscorers. Attention before kick-off has also focused on Arsenal's full backs and whether they can contain Paris Saint-Germain's wide threats, notably Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Their fitness and effectiveness in dealing with those attackers will shape how often Arsenal can control tempo through Rice or create the openings Odegaard and Eze covet.
For viewers and supporters there are clear practical markers to watch when the final begins: how often Rice is allowed to receive and turn in midfield, the role set pieces play in Arsenal’s attacking plan, and whether PSG’s wide men expose the spaces behind the full backs. Late-game scenarios deserve special attention — Sheringham's 1999 reference underlines that this final could be decided in the final minutes.
The unresolved question heading into kick-off is straightforward: can Declan Rice produce the kind of match-defining performance Mendieta predicts, or will the contest tilt instead toward a late break sealed by Odegaard or Eze? Arsenal and their supporters will find the answer in Budapest, where a club still seeking its first Champions League crown will discover whether leadership from midfield, finishing from distance, or full-back resilience determines the trophy.
