Mikel Arteta has been working on a specific plan to stop Paris Saint-Germain’s attacking threat, a challenge he describes as the most difficult in football. The preparation has been shrouded in secrecy, reflecting the high stakes of the Champions League final. This fixture is one of the biggest in sport, comparable only to a World Cup final.
Both clubs have become magnets for celebrities, with Arsenal attracting stars like Dua Lipa, who attended games this season with her Chelsea-supporting boyfriend, Callum Turner. The club has a dedicated celebrity box, but one match required a last-minute request that saw Lipa go directly to players, who were happy to oblige.
PSG has gone further with its VIP section ‘Le Cercle’, designed to make attending a match like a New York Knicks or LA Lakers game. Guest lists have included Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Mick Jagger, Gigi Hadid, and Kendall Jenner. The club’s fashion links, including Air Jordan collaborations, have reinforced its cool image.
This glamour is tied to both clubs’ status as fashion brands, with London and Paris being fashion capitals. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi told a Harvard study that “Paris means fashion, style, design and diversity,” leading to the creation of a club arm to enhance this. However, the incongruity of making a Qatari-owned club with a criticised human rights record ‘cool’ is noted.
The final is the first between capital cities since 1967, highlighting a centralisation trend in football. Paris and London are among the world’s top three areas for producing players, alongside São Paulo. Major capital cities attract disproportionate investment, benefiting their biggest clubs. Qatar specifically bought PSG because of its Paris location, while the Kroenkes saw Arsenal as a “sleeping giant,” as co-chair Josh Kroenke stated.
