You wonder if you can lose a game before you’ve ever played it.
To be honest, based on this season’s statistics, Arsenal is already sunk going into tomorrow’s Champions League final versus holders Paris Saint-Germain.
Having advanced far in both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, Arsenal has not only played more games than any other side in any of the top five European leagues this season, but it appears that their rivals have been saving themselves for this competition alone.
Even while PSG and Arsenal have played the same number of games this season (63) if you add their seven Club World Cup matches from last summer, there is a clear disparity in the number of minutes played by the players who are expected to participate in Budapest.
PSG’s Ligue 1 campaign has been relatively easy, in contrast to Mikel Arteta, who has constantly been put to the test as Arsenal persevered through the marathon of one of the most difficult Premier League seasons in terms of the strength of competition.
Enrique decided to save his finest players’ legs for the coveted Champions League by resting them for most of their games.
There is a noticeable disparity in the number of minutes played by players who are expected to line up in Budapest.
For instance, Ousmane Dembele, the winner of the Ballon d’Or, only started 11 of their 34 Ligue 1 games. Joao Neves, Nuno Mendes, and Fabian Ruiz each started 13 games; Khvicha Kvaratskhelia started 18; Achraf Hakimi and Desire Doue started 16; and Marquinhos started 11.
Not all of these appearances have been substitutes.In the top tier this season, not a single one of those players has even played half of the available minutes.
ARSENAL
David Raya: 4,500
4,336 Declan Rice
4,268 Martin Zubimendi
4,134 William Saliba
Gabriel: 4,090
SAINT-GERMAIN, Paris
4,198 Warren Zaire-Emery
Vitinha: 3,950
3,719 Willian Pacho
2,933 Bradley Barcola
2,860 Nuno Mendes
Despite PSG playing 18 fewer games in the Champions League this season, Mendes and Marquinhos have actually played more minutes there than in Ligue 1.
Although some of this can be attributed to injuries, the statistics indicate that rotation has had a major role. It also helped them win Ligue 1 for the fifth time in a row, so it was inexpensive.
In contrast, Arteta seems to have adhered more firmly to a preferred starting lineup as the season came to an end. David Raya participated in every minute of the Premier League until the victory.
Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice’s midfield partner, missed 0 Premier League games, while Rice missed just two. With 49 and 50 games played, respectively, William Saliba and Gabriel are not far behind those two.
Just three PSG players (ranked fourth, seventh, and eighth) are among the top 12 players who have played more than 3,000 minutes between the two sides this season.
Enrique appears to have been focused on keeping his trophy the entire time. We’ll find out if it was all worthwhile on Saturday night.
