Pluvigner Overview

William Saliba is facing a race against time to be fit for the upcoming World Cup in North America after a devastating night in Budapest. The Arsenal mainstay, who has been a pillar of Mikel Arteta’s defence, saw his Champions League dreams crushed before receiving a major blow to his international ambitions.

Gary Lineker has offered a blunt assessment of Arsenal’s standing in European football following their heartbreaking Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Despite Mikel Arteta leading the Gunners to a historic Premier League title, the former England striker believes they still lag behind three continental heavyweights when it comes to pure entertainment.

France, the hot favourites for the World Cup, may have to do without one of their key players at the finals in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

The 2025-26 European season is over, and it ended just as the 2024-25 did 12 months earlier, with Paris Saint-Germain lifting the European Cup at the end of the Champions League final. Saturday's win over Arsenal in Budapest was a much tighter affair than their thrashing of Inter in Munich, but was greeted with no less joy by the French giants and their supporters as they clinched a double having already won Ligue 1.