Former Super Eagles players have split along nostalgic lines ahead of Saturday’s (today’s) UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal in Budapest, with Jay-Jay Okocha and Godwin Okpara backing PSG while Nwankwo Kanu and Tajudeen Disu have thrown their weight behind the Gunners, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The final at the Puskás Aréna pits the defending champions against Premier League title winners Arsenal, who are appearing in their first Champions League final in 20 years.
Okpara, who spent two seasons at Parc des Princes and won the French League Cup during his time in Paris, is backing his former club to retain the trophy. The 53-year-old believes the transformation in PSG’s collective approach under Luis Enrique is the defining factor that sets them apart from both their own previous incarnations and their opponents on Saturday.
“There is a lot of quality in this PSG squad, and they do not depend solely on Ousmane Dembélé. It is an elite team because they no longer play through just one player,” Okpara told Footy-Africa.
“The PSG team we are seeing now is entirely different. It is built on pure teamwork, not individual egos,” he said. While conceding that Arsenal are no pushover, Okpara settled on PSG when it came to a final verdict.
“When you look closely at the squads — ranking them position by position from the goalkeeper, through the defence, into midfield, and up to the attack — PSG simply possess more quality players. For that reason, I see them winning it.”
Okocha, who turned out for PSG earlier in his career and was present at the Allianz Arena in Munich last year when they demolished Inter Milan, has made no secret of where his loyalties lie.
Reflecting on that final, he said, “It’s amazing, and the way they did it, they made it look so easy. They came with a good game plan, it worked out for them, and they totally deserved it. I didn’t think it would be 5-0, I predicted 2-1, but who cares? I wanted to see them win, and they won.
It’s great for the club, the first time in their history, and I think it’s good for football as well.”
On the opposing side of the argument, Kanu — a Champions League winner himself with Ajax in 1995 and a beloved figure at Arsenal — believes his former club’s unbeaten European run and domestic title triumph have created the ideal conditions for a historic night.
“I told my friends that last season, we were struggling against Manchester City, and they went on to win the league. But this season, the table changed, and we have come out on top to win the Premier League title,” he said.
“In the same way, PSG won the Champions League last year, but I truly believe that this season it will be Arsenal’s turn to go all the way and lift the trophy, making it a historic year for the club.”
Former Super Eagles and Leventis United defender Tajudeen Disu also sided with Arsenal, though he was measured in his assessment.
“I hope Arsenal will win it this time. This is because they have been in the final before and lost. It’s been a long time coming. It’s not going to be an easy match because PSG are a great side and defending champions, but if Arsenal can get their tactics right, they can win,” the ex-Abiola Babes defender told Footy-Africa.
Kanu pointed specifically to Arsenal’s unbeaten European record and Mikel Arteta’s defensive organisation as the qualities capable of containing PSG’s attack.
“If you look at our Champions League run, we haven’t lost a single game, and reaching the final on that record gives us real belief that we can go all the way. Some may call it revenge, but for us, it is about proving ourselves and finishing the job. We really need it, and with this mentality, we are confident we can definitely get it done,” he said.
Both clubs arrive in Budapest as domestic champions — PSG having claimed Ligue 1 and Arsenal the Premier League — setting up what promises to be one of the most compelling Champions League finals in recent memory.
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