Champion League
Okocha’s Ex-French club PSG Backed to Retain Champions League Title vs Arsenal
Former Nigeria defender Godwin Okpara has tipped Paris Saint-Germain to defeat Arsenal FC in Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final in Budapest.
Okpara, who spent two seasons with PSG during his playing career and was a teammate of Nigerian legend Jay-Jay Okocha at international level, believes the French champions possess greater quality across the pitch and are better equipped to secure European glory.
The former defender praised the collective strength of Luis Enrique’s side, stressing players such as Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi, Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as examples of a team built on unity rather than individual stardom.
According to Okpara, PSG’s transformation from the era of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar into a more balanced collective has been key to their recent success in Europe.
“When you look closely at the squads—from goalkeeper to attack—PSG simply possess more quality players. For that reason, I see them winning it,” Okpara said.
Despite backing PSG, the former Nigerian international acknowledged that Arsenal would present a formidable challenge, describing the final as an evenly matched contest likely to produce goals.
Meanwhile, Okocha, who remains one of PSG’s most celebrated former players, previously praised the club’s style of play after their Champions League triumph, noting that their ability to combine individual talent with teamwork made the difference on the biggest stage.
The final pits the reigning French champions against an Arsenal side seeking their first-ever Champions League title under manager Mikel Arteta. PSG, on the other hand, are aiming to successfully defend the European crown they won last season.
