As the Arsenal party bus pulls into Budapest, PSG lies in wait

By Ben Church, CNN

Budapest, Hungary (CNN) — It’s been a non-stop party at Arsenal Football Club over the last two weeks, so no wonder its following faithful are still beaming from ear to ear.

The celebrations all began on May 19, when the team became Premier League champion for the first time in 22 years. Tens of thousands of fans spontaneously celebrated in the streets around the Emirates Stadium, despite no game even being played at the arena.

Then came party number two on Sunday, when Arsenal’s players finally got their hands on the trophy and lifted it above their heads in the last game of the league season – cue more scenes of celebration across the English capital and beyond.

It was a cathartic moment, one that shook off years of ridicule for a club that became known as the proverbial bridesmaid. Now, it’s very much the bride and is eyeing legendary status.

It’s exactly why Arsenal fans are in such high spirits as many flock to Budapest ahead of the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, with the club now facing another opportunity to make history – this time by winning Europe’s premier club competition for the very first time.

No matter the result of the final, a million people are expected to line the streets of North London to celebrate at least one major trophy for their men’s team in a parade that promises to end all soccer parades.

It’s also why some fans heading to the Hungarian capital are, or at least were, treating this final as somewhat of a free hit.

“It’s just a bonus now,” one fan told CNN Sports as they waited to board their flight to Budapest from London on Thursday.

“Yeah, we can just enjoy it,” added his friend.

It’s a feeling that was felt by many of the club’s supporters ahead of arguably the biggest game in Arsenal’s history but a nonchalance that perhaps wore off a touch during the flight to mainland Europe.

“I got a little bit nervous as soon as I stepped off the plane,” host of the hugely popular Arsenal Vision podcast Elliot Smith told CNN Sports ahead of the final.

“I know when the game kicks off, it’s only going to get worse.”

Arsenal fans flock to final

Few people understand Arsenal’s global fanbase like Smith – a man who has fostered a community of listeners from around the world from his home in the United States.

His obvious knowledge and passion for the club he lives thousands of miles from is indicative of the global nature of the supporters in Budapest this week, all of whom have been soaking up the sun and exploring the city’s copious bars as they await what will be a defining 90 minutes on Saturday.

All the conversation in the city centers around winning the league. Where did you watch it? How did you celebrate? Did you cry? When did you stop crying?

It’s true, too, that Arsenal’s red and white has overtaken the Hungarian capital, with the London club’s supporters outweighing the PSG support early on.

But don’t be fooled. The majority of PSG fans are due to arrive in their thousands over Friday night and into Saturday morning, and their team is already here, preparing to dampen Arsenal’s non-stop party.

“We’ll see tomorrow, we’ll see who is the better,” PSG manager Luis Enrique rather ominously told the press ahead Friday, before his team attempts to retain the title it won last year.

“I don’t think that there’s a favorite and I’m being honest with you. For us, the devil is in the detail and I think it will be a very close call.

“It’s about knowing how to manage that stress.”

Experience vs. vibes

PSG’s squad certainly knows how to cope with the occasion – and proved so emphatically a year ago. A very similar-looking squad secured the club’s first Champions League title by thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 in last year’s final, gaining invaluable experience along the way.

And no matter what Enrique says, all the bookmakers have the French champion as the favorite and rightly so. The plethora of attacking talent PSG possesses far outweighs anything Arsenal has to offer, on paper at least.

But there just seems to be something about this Arsenal team this year. They have found a knack for getting over the line and demonstrate a team unity that appears unbreakable. That mentality seems even healthier now that it has gotten the league title monkey off its back.

But while Gunners fans continue to celebrate that, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta rejected claims that Saturday’s final was a “free hit” for his team, telling reporters on Friday that such a game could never be treated lightly.

“The level of desire is at the maximum, that’s for sure,” he assured.

Two of the Gunners’ biggest stars, Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard, also told the media that they were “fully focused” on tomorrow’s match and said they had not lost any edge after seeing such historic success already.

“It was a special, special feeling,” Arsenal captain Ødegaard said of the celebrations following the league title victory.

“Of course, the energy we take from that, and the mood, and the vibe, you know, it’s great going into this game, another final. So, yeah, just good vibes and we’re ready to go again.”

Those vibes were in full flow on Friday, with the difference between the two sides striking on the eve of the final. PSG players were more serious, almost glum before heading out to practice on the pitch at the Puskás Aréna.

They looked hyper-focused on the job in hand, running through very high-quality possession drills with an intensity that would scare most opponents.

But fear looked very far from Arsenal’s minds as they took their opportunity to familiarize themselves with the pitch ahead of such a historic game.

There was just a lightness about the whole Arsenal unit. Saka and Ødegaard were giggling in the media room while speaking to reporters and the entire team was all smiles during their own practice session – jumping on each other’s backs and playing games against the coaching staff, as music blared from a speaker they had rolled out with them.

For what it’s worth, the coaches won whatever party game they were playing, with the players having to do pushups as punishment.

It all felt just a little different to what you’d expect. It was bright, breezy and looked like watching friends kick a ball about in the school yard. It also felt closely connected to the party atmosphere enjoyed by fans across London, Budapest and all over the world this week.

One more win on Saturday would turn those party celebrations into something even more special and would only enhance those positive vibes around the club.

“It’s so important and it’s a massive opportunity to do something special,” academy graduate Saka told the media Friday.

“It will probably make the parade even more more crazy.”

The-CNN-Wire
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