Khvicha Kvaratskhelia did not hide his view on the Champions League final. Paris Saint Germain are through after a 1-1 draw with Bayern München and a 6-5 aggregate win, but the winger said, “We know it will be difficult against Arsenal.”

Why PSG are not treating this as a formality

Kvaratskhelia’s line was matched by the mood around the squad. Luis Enrique said PSG are “so happy to reach a second Champions League final in a row” and spoke about wanting to give the supporters that gift.

The numbers back up why PSG are leaning on him. Kvaratskhelia has a 7.74 rating in the Champions League, better than his 7.28 in Ligue 1, and across 15 Champions League appearances this season he has 10 goals and 6 assists. He also arrives with strong recent form, including back-to-back 8.5-rated performances among his last five matches.

Arsenal’s return changes the scale of the final

Arsenal’s side of the story is bigger than one quote. Mikel Arteta said they are “back in the Champions League final” after 20 years and only the second time in the club’s history, which gives the final a different edge from a standard one-off.

They are also top of the Premier League after 35 matches with 76 points, so the European run is landing while they are still in a title race. That makes PSG’s warning feel measured rather than generous. Kvaratskhelia is not talking up Arsenal for effect, he is describing a team with form, status and a real route to hurting PSG.

There is also a neat bit of symmetry in his own background. Kvaratskhelia completed a roughly one-week trial at Bayern’s campus in April 2018 as a 17-year-old, but was not offered a deal. He then scored twice in Napoli’s 5-4 first-leg win over Bayern, and now he goes into a final against Arsenal after helping PSG past the German side.

Kvaratskhelia also said, “I will give everything for this badge.” If PSG want the final to go their way, they will need that level again against an Arsenal side he has already called difficult.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →