Timber Cleared to Start Champions League Final for Arsenal
Mikel Arteta will walk out in Budapest with one of his biggest selection calls already made. Jurrien Timber is fit. Not just in the squad – cleared to start.
On the eve of Arsenal’s Champions League final against holders Paris Saint-Germain at the Puskas Arena, Arteta delivered the news every travelling supporter wanted to hear. Timber, who had been a doubt with a groin problem, has come through training and is available from the first whistle.
The full-back travelled with the group to Hungary earlier in the week, a sign the club felt there was a genuine chance of involvement. Those hopes have now hardened into something far more concrete, giving Arteta added flexibility in a game that will test every inch of his squad.
Arsenal arrive in Budapest riding the high of a title-winning season. They lifted the Premier League trophy at Selhurst Park last weekend, the culmination of a relentless domestic campaign. There has been little time to bask in it. Everything now revolves around 90 minutes – or more – against PSG on Saturday evening.
The squad have settled into their base in Hungary and gone through their final sessions, with the medical bulletin shaping up about as well as Arteta could have wished.
Raya ready to return
In goal, David Raya is expected to be back in contention after missing the Premier League finale at Crystal Palace. The Spaniard sat out with a combination of back, glute and shoulder issues, a cocktail of knocks that persuaded Arsenal not to take any risks with the league already wrapped up.
The decision looks to have paid off. Raya has had the extra days he needed and is on course to reclaim his place between the posts for the biggest night of Arsenal’s season.
Madueke scare eased
There is also relief over Noni Madueke. The winger limped off on the final day against Palace with a hamstring concern, raising immediate fears that his season might be over in the cruellest fashion.
Those fears have eased. The change was precautionary, and Arteta confirmed in his press conference ahead of the PSG clash that the England international is fine. For a side that leans heavily on width, pace and direct running, having Madueke available is no small detail.
White the major absentee
The one major absentee is Ben White. The defender suffered a significant knee injury in the win over West Ham United, an issue serious enough to cut short his season before the European showpiece.
White’s absence strips Arteta of one of his most dependable performers, a player who has quietly knitted together Arsenal’s right flank all year. It places even more emphasis on Timber’s fitness and sharpness, and on the rest of the back line to absorb the loss without losing their edge.
So Arsenal head into Budapest with their title in the bag, their key men largely patched up and ready, and one glaring hole where White would normally stand. For a team that has already pushed its limits this season, the question now is simple: can this near-full-strength squad deliver one last performance on the biggest stage of all?
