Exclusive: Nacho Monreal makes bold Champions League final prediction

Nacho Monreal believes the Premier League title win has given Arsenal exactly the momentum they need heading into the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. The former Arsenal and Spain left-back, who spent six and a half years at the club between 2013 and 2019, spoke to AceOdds ahead of Saturday's showpiece at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. The Spaniard is optimistic about the Gunners’ chances and shared what he thinks is the team that Mikel Arteta will go with on Saturday.

Title win gives Arsenal the confidence to go all the way

Arsenal were crowned Premier League champions when Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth, ending a 22-year wait that stretched back to the Invincibles season of 2003-04. Arteta's squad now travel to Budapest, hoping to win the club’s first ever Champions League title. PSG, the reigning Champions League holders, beat Internazionale 5-0 in last year's final and are bidding to become only the second club to retain the trophy in the competition's modern era. Monreal's view is that the burden of chasing a trophy has been lifted at precisely the right moment for Arsenal.

“I think winning the Premier League is very important because it gives you a lot of confidence.”

He acknowledged the scale of the task ahead, with PSG arriving in Budapest as a side that has eliminated Liverpool, Chelsea and Bayern Munich on their way to the final.

“It gives you confidence of course. It's going to be a very difficult game against PSG. They won the Champions League last year. They have confidence, they have a really good and strong team.”

“But Arsenal I think can get it. They go to the final at the best moment of their season. They can make history because Arsenal has never won the Champions League.”

Arsenal's first appearance in the final since 2006, when they lost 2-1 to Barcelona in Paris, has been 20 years in the making. For a generation of supporters who have watched the club repeatedly fall short, the occasion carries enormous weight. Monreal summed up the opportunity simply.

“It is a great opportunity. It is going to be difficult but I think they can make it.”

Cristhian Mosquera starts, Jurrien Timber stays out

Arsenal's defensive options heading into the final have been significantly disrupted by injury. Jurrien Timber has not featured since limping off during the win over Everton on March 14, battling a groin problem that has kept him sidelined for more than two months.

To compound matters, Ben White suffered a knee injury against West Ham, ruling him out of Budapest entirely and leaving Cristhian Mosquera as Arteta's only recognised right-back option. Given that context, Monreal sees the lineup largely picking itself, with one or two positions still open to debate.

“I think eight or nine players will be the same. It's going to be a very similar Arsenal team to the 11 that started against Atletico Madrid in the second leg. I think Lewis-Skelly will play in the midfield with Declan Rice.”

“The only doubt is who's going to play on the left side. Probably Trossard or maybe Martinelli, but I think the rest of the players are going to be the players who are playing every single game.”

The right-back question is the most consequential selection call Arteta faces. Timber's ability to defend one-on-one makes him particularly well-suited to a game in which Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will carry a significant threat on the left flank. Monreal appreciates the temptation to rush him back, but his verdict is clear.

“I don't think Timber is going to play. In my opinion, Timber is the best right-back at Arsenal, no doubt, no doubt. But the problem with Timber is that he has been out for the last two months. I think it's a bit risky because when you're out and you're not 100% fit.”

White had been in excellent form before his injury, with his performance in the second leg against Atletico Madrid drawing widespread praise. His absence leaves Mosquera as the man most likely to fill the void. Monreal's reasoning is straightforward, and his prediction even more so.

“I think Mikel is not gonna take a risk because it's just one game. It's the final. Mosquera is also a good defender so I think he will pick Mosquera instead of Timber, only because he has been out for two months.”

“I just really hope Arsenal will win the final. I think Arsenal will win 2-1. That is my prediction, so fingers crossed. With a big celebration after!”

In terms of the odds, Arsenal are 21/10 underdogs to lift the trophy for the first time - and if you fancy backing them to do so, you can use our bet365 bonus code as we get closer and closer to one of the biggest games in the club’s history.

Bukayo Saka needs more goals to reach the very top

Bukayo Saka has been the face of Arsenal’s resurgence ever since he made his first-team debut. Despite not being at his best this season, his influence on Arsenal's title win is widely recognised. Monreal is firmly in Saka's corner, but acknowledges there is one area where improvement is still needed.

“In my opinion, Bukayo Saka is the best Arsenal player. That's my opinion. It's true that during the season he had an injury and he was out for a month or so, but when he's fit and he's on the pitch and he receives the ball, anything can happen. He's that kind of player.”

“You never see one against one because he always has two defending players in front of him, but this creates space for his teammates. He probably needs to improve his numbers. In the last few seasons in the Premier League, he always scored eight, seven or six goals.”

The suggestion is not that Saka is falling short, but that there is a level above his current output that remains within reach. Monreal sees the next two seasons as the window in which that leap is most likely to happen.

“I think next season or in the next two seasons, he's going to improve on this, and he's going to finish with over 10 goals. That's what I think he needs to improve. But he's top. He's top and he's from the Arsenal Academy. He's a real Arsenal fan also, so we love Bukayo.”

Is Declan Rice the best midfielder in the world?

Declan Rice has been one of the defining players of Arsenal's title-winning season, and the moments that captured that most notably came away from the ball as much as on it. His famous pitch-side exchange with Martin Ødegaard after Arsenal's defeat to Manchester City, caught on camera, in which he said 'it's not done', became one of the defining images of the title race.

His performances with the ball have been equally crucial, scoring five and assisting eleven across all competitions. The question of whether he is now the best midfielder in the world is one Monreal was happy to engage with, up to a point.

“Well, in the world, I'm not sure, but in the Premier League, yes, 100%. I think he's the best midfielder because he's very strong physically, he runs a lot, he never misses or fails a pass. He's always in the right position, he can score goals, he's very committed to the team. I'm in love with him.”

The fee Arsenal paid in the summer of 2023 raised eyebrows at the time. Monreal's verdict on that investment is unequivocal.

“Arsenal paid a lot of money for him. It was a big, big decision, but after a few years, in my opinion, Arsenal made a really, really good decision.”

Read more as Nacho Monreal gives his thoughts on Arsenal's Premier League title win