All eyes will be on Budapest on Saturday as holders Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal lock horns in the 2025-26 Champions League final under the lights of the Puskas Arena.
The Parisians are aiming to become only the second side after Real Madrid to retain Europe’s premier club crown in consecutive seasons, while the Gunners are chasing a first-ever triumph after losing their only previous final 20 years ago to Barcelona.
This weekend’s final brings together two teams with contrasting identities, with Arsenal’s defensive structure set to be tested by a PSG side that has been relentless in the final third.
Both sides are meeting for the fourth time in the last two seasons, with Mikel Arteta’s men winning last term’s league phase encounter before Luis Enrique got the better of his fellow countryman in the semi-final, winning over two legs.
With all aforementioned clashes producing goals, there is strong reason to expect the same on Saturday, and with that in mind, MrFix tips have ranked the contenders to open the scoring in the UCL final.
Will there likely be a first scorer in PSG vs Arsenal UCL final?
Taking their meetings further back, PSG and Arsenal have faced each other seven times, with every encounter producing at least one goal, so it is reasonable to expect another such contest here.
Les Parisiens have also netted 44 times in this season’s Champions League, while the Gunners’s return of 29 goals highlights their attacking threat despite the usual defensive narrative.
Furthermore, history suggests goals are likely, with virtually every UCL final in the modern era producing at least one in normal time, the only exception since the rebrand in 1992-93 coming in 2003 when AC Milan and Juventus played out a goalless draw before penalties.
PSG vs Arsenal first scorer: Ranking contenders to open the scoring in UCL final and odds
1. Ousmane Dembele – 19/4 (5.75)
Ousmane Dembele tops the list as the most likely to strike first, based on recent form and attacking output. The French forward has scored the opening goal in two of PSG’s last three Champions League matches, including the second leg of the semi-final against Bayern Munich.
Dembele is also among PSG’s primary penalty takers, which adds extra value to his appeal in the first goalscorer market, and he already struck first in his only previous start against Arsenal.
2. Bukayo Saka – 17/2 (9.50)
Bukayo Saka has not been at his sharpest this season due to injuries and inconsistency, but he remains Arsenal’s main attacking outlet and most reliable big-game option.
The 24-year-old winger has scored twice in three previous meetings with PSG and also netted the only goal in the second leg of the Gunners’s semi-final tie against Atletico Madrid, which booked Arsenal’s place in this showpiece.
3. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – 13/2 (7.50)
Arguably PSG’s standout performer in Europe this season, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has scored 10 goals in 15 Champions League appearances, including seven in the knockout rounds.
One of those came as an opening goal in PSG’s round of 16 second leg win against Chelsea, and with his proven impact on the biggest stage, it would be no surprise if he strikes early again, especially after scoring in last season’s final against Inter Milan.
4. Desire Doue – 7/1 (8.00)
Desire Doue also found the net in last season’s final, where his brace earned him Man of the Match honours.
Doue has five Champions League goals this season, and although he has scored just once in his last seven outings in the competition, that strike was the opener against Liverpool, making the 20-year-old winger a live outsider in this market.
5. Kai Havertz – 8/1 (9.00)
There has been debate among Arsenal fans over the striker role, but despite Viktor Gyokeres’s recent form, Kai Havertz could still be trusted to lead the line.
The lanky German is not the most prolific forward, but he has a habit for delivering in decisive moments, including his winner in Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League final against Manchester City.
Havertz also scored the only goal across Arsenal’s quarter-final tie with Sporting Lisbon this season and has produced several clutch moments in tight Premier League and European fixtures, making him a serious option if chances are limited.
6. Gabriel Magalhaes – 22/1 (23.0)
Gabriel Magalhaes is the wildcard pick, but not without logic given Arsenal’s reliance on set-pieces this season.
The Brazilian’s absence was felt in last season’s semi-final against PSG, and his aerial presence remains a major threat from dead-ball situations.
Magalhaes has already scored from a set-piece in this season’s campaign, and with Arsenal’s delivery from wide areas a key weapon, he cannot be ruled out of breaking the deadlock in a tight contest.
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi is a sports writer with more than four years’ experience covering football and other global sports. A lifelong Arsenal supporter since 2004, he writes with genuine passion and a sharp eye for the stories that shape the game.
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