Arsenal travel to Budapest on Saturday for the UEFA Champions League final at the Puskas Arena, and L'Equipe has reported a last-minute selection shock: Martín Zubimendi is expected to start the match on the bench, with Myles Lewis‑Skelly paired alongside Declan Rice in midfield.
The report, if accurate, rearranges the spine of Mikel Arteta's team for the biggest club match of the season. Arsenal would line up in a 4-2-3-1 shape with David Raya in goal; Jürrien Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori across the back; Lewis‑Skelly and Rice holding; Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Leandro Trossard in attacking midfield roles; and Viktor Gyökeres leading the line.
Arteta addressed the press here ahead of kickoff and described the camp as ‘‘excellent and very positive,’’ stressing the squad had earned their place in the final and still needed to earn the right to lift the trophy. He called the opponents the reigning champions and acknowledged they will be favorites, but added Arsenal were in Budapest to take that status away.
Those comments framed the selection story. Zubimendi, a midfielder widely recognised within the squad for his positional intelligence and ball retention, would be the notable absentee from the starting XI under the reported plan. Benching him in a one-off final is the clearest tactical gamble Arteta might make: trust a younger partner in Lewis‑Skelly to sit deeper next to Rice, or stick with the more experienced Zubimendi to steady possession against elite opposition.
The friction is simple and immediate. Zubimendi's presence typically tilts Arsenal toward control in midfield; Lewis‑Skelly's inclusion promises energy, pressing and a different balance. Against the reigning champions, that balance could determine whether Arsenal impose their rhythm or get drawn into transitional duels—exactly the moments Arteta says his side must manage better than last season.
Arteta also returned repeatedly to the opponents' coach, saying he had always regarded Luis Enrique as a reference and praising what the Spaniard has built at PSG as ‘‘spectacular.’’ He said Arsenal had learned from last season's meetings with PSG, that rewatching those games showed how close Arsenal had been, and that prior results had felt ‘‘quite unfair.’’ He finished by insisting the story is different now and expressing confidence Arsenal will produce a great match.
Practically, supporters and neutral viewers should watch two things at kickoff: the first 15 minutes of midfield exchanges, and whether the team defends high or drops to shelter Rice and Lewis‑Skelly. If Arsenal press aggressively with the front five and Lewis‑Skelly sustains energy levels, the reported selection could unsettle the champions. If the midfield loses control early, the decision to leave Zubimendi out will look like a costly omission.
Arsenal's starting sheet for the Puskas Arena fixture is not yet officially published by the club; L'Equipe's lineup remains a report until the teams hand in their sheets before kickoff. The match is scheduled for Saturday, 31 May, with kickoff listed at 14:00 BST, and whatever Arteta selects will be settled in the first whistle.
The decisive unresolved question heading into kickoff is narrow and concrete: will Arteta's gamble on Lewis‑Skelly over Zubimendi pay off in the final's opening minutes, or will the coach be forced to restore the experienced midfielder to steady the side? The answer will arrive in Budapest and, when it does, it will tell us more about Arteta's tactical trust than any press conference declaration can.
