Patrice Evra Predicts PSG Will 'Brutally Destroy' Arsenal if Mikel Arteta Gets Tactics Wrong
Patrice Evra has delivered a brutal warning to Arsenal ahead of their Champions League final showdown with Paris Saint-Germain, claiming the French giants could “destroy” Mikel Arteta’s side if they fail to “play better football.”
Patrice Evra fears PSG could overpower Arsenal in the Champions League final if Mikel Arteta’s side play too defensively.
Arsenal are preparing for their first Champions League final appearance since 2006 after reaching the European showpiece unbeaten. Mikel Arteta’s side will now attempt to make history in Budapest as they chase the biggest prize in club football on Hungarian soil.
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Standing in their way is a PSG side aiming to successfully defend the Champions League trophy and emulate the achievements of Zinedine Zidane’s legendary Real Madrid teams from 2015 to 2018. The Ligue 1 champions head into the final with confidence and a powerful attacking line-up featuring Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Despite Arsenal conceding only 27 goals during the 2025-26 Premier League campaign, Evra believes PSG’s attack could prove overwhelming if Arteta adopts cautious tactics.
Speaking to GOAL in association with Stake, Evra said: “No, no, no, no, maybe, maybe I talked too early, but it's not because of Arsenal this time it's about PSG.
"I think PSG are dominating the football world and I hope Arsenal will play openly because if they park the bus like they used to do, PSG will put five goals past them like they did to Inter in the final. I was in shock because they are the masters of Catenaccio. In Italy, as soon as you are born, they teach you about the Catenaccio.”
The former Manchester United defender also stressed how dangerous PSG could become if all of their key forwards are fully fit and available.
“But no, if PSG have all these players - if Ousmane Dembele and all of that are ready, they will destroy Arsenal. But we never know. Now they won the Premier League. I think even for the fans of Arsenal, to be honest, it will be a bonus for them to win the Champions League.
"I don't think they will cry or be disappointed if Arsenal doesn't win this Champions League because they have already done the job, and that was the Premier League. They waited for 22 years. This is the biggest achievement. If they win the Champions League, it will be the cherry on the cake.”
Evra also compared PSG’s recent performances against Europe’s elite with Arsenal’s route to the final, insisting the French side currently look stronger.
“But with PSG, what they are doing and you see the semi-final against Bayern Munich compared to the semi-final against Arsenal and Atletico and don't get me wrong, it's one game. It's one game in the final. Everything can happen. But the style of play and the way I can see PSG, the way they beat Inter, if Mikel Arteta doesn’t have a plan to play better football, they will have no chance. If they want to park the bus, they will have no chance to win the game.
"But everything can happen. My favorite for this game, and with all due respect and love for Arsenal, you know, it will be PSG. But again, PSG, they lost in the Club World Cup against Chelsea. So like I say, in one game, everything can happen.”
Arsenal will take confidence from their previous meetings with PSG despite suffering semi-final elimination against the French club last season. Arteta’s men lost 3-1 on aggregate across two legs, although they had earlier defeated Luis Enrique’s side 2-0 at Emirates Stadium during the league phase.
That result showed Arsenal are capable of beating Europe’s top teams, but Arteta must once again find a tactical solution capable of stopping Dembele and company while allowing Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard to influence the match in attack.
