It would be a bit simplistic to refer to Saturday night’s Paris Saint-Germain vs Arsenal UEFA Champions League Final as “Beauty vs the Beast.” Yes, PSG present themselves as a more aesthetically pleasing, fun to watch attacking style. Or “swashbuckling” if you will. Meanwhile Arsenal could be branded as more “pragmatic” (a condescending euphemism if there ever was one).
The Gunners will play defense first, and rely on the corner kicks and set pieces to generate scoring.
UEFA Champions League Final
Arsenal vs Paris Saint-Germain
Location: Puskás Aréna, Budapest, Hungary
Kickoff: Saturday May 30, 12 pm EST
Arsenal Injury Updates: go here
Thierry Henry on the nerves he’ll have covering his former team in the UCL Final: go here
How and Why Kai Havertz Could Be the Player to Watch: go here
How Mikel Arteta Rewarded Arsenal for Having Patience with Him: go here
But again this is only a watered down, simplistic way to analyze it.
Thierry Henry is maybe the greatest Arsenal player ever. The stats and records easily back up that assertion. He currently works as a television pundit/analyst and he’ll be coverring the UCL final for CBS Sports, on site.
Henry and his fellow CBS crew met the media ahead of the cup final, for a reporter round table Zoom call.
During this session, the idea of “beauty and the beast” was put to him.
“Depends where you sit, what’s beauty, and what’s the beast for you?” Henry responded.
“Some people love controlling the game off the ball, some love to control it on the ball, and (then) make sure to have that reaction to when you lose the ball, to get it back straight away.
“I’ve seen people being successful playing both ways It depends on what you like, you know.”
The same reporter who asked the question then said “And how about you? What do you like?”
He had a classic, deadpan response:
‘It doesn’t matter what I like.”
Arsenal are certainly “on the edge of glory” (apologies to Lady Gaga) for this one.
Last week saw Arsenal end their 22-year Premier League drought. And this weekend brings an opportunity to end this season with the two most prestigious trophies in world football.
Henry was asked if accomplishing this feat could kickstart his former club into becoming a dynasty. With Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola stepping away, there might be an opening here for a different English club to become the world’s best.
“Next year is going to be another battle,” the Paris born forward responded. “And we will see what’s going to happen now, talking about dynasty, or if you’re going to do what Man City did.
“I don’t actually know. I’ll be just happy with what we can do at the moment, and trying to do, and what we can achieve.”
If you notice how many times he used the word “we” there? It truly conveys how Arsenal will always be “his club,” and that’s where his heart and head is at for this cup final.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.