Jurrien Timber Set for Arsenal Game Start in Budapest
Jurrien Timber is fit to start for Arsenal in the arsenal game against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest. Mikel Arteta said the defender is available after missing time since mid-March and a setback in April, a major lift with Ben White ruled out by a knee injury.
Arteta on Timber
Arteta did not leave room for doubt before the Champions League final at the Puskas Arena. “Timber] is fit. [To start?] Yes.”
That gives Arsenal a full-strength option on the right side for a match that carries the club’s biggest prize this season. White’s knee problem removes one defender from the mix, so Timber’s return arrives at exactly the right time for a side trying to solve one of the most important selection calls on the night.
Arsenal in Budapest
Arsenal arrive in Budapest after winning their 22-year wait for a Premier League title, but the final against Paris Saint-Germain offers a different target. They are chasing the first European Cup in the club’s history, eight years after losing the 2006 final to Barcelona.
Arteta said the group has handled the build-up well. “The preparation has been really, really good, really focused, really positive.” He also pointed to the mood inside the squad: “It's because I look around and I see the joy and the desire that all of them have to play this match. We all know that it is the biggest game in football, and everybody wants to be part of that. They all understand what it takes and also how important everybody is to make an impact when it's needed.”
Puskas Arena Stakes
Arteta framed the final as something Arsenal must earn on the pitch rather than inherit from the season’s earlier work. “We are here because we have earned the right to be here in the manner that we have played and performed in the competition, and tomorrow on that field we're going to have to earn the right to win the trophy.”
For Arsenal, Timber’s availability is the cleanest roster gain before kickoff in Budapest. It does not change the size of the task against Paris Saint-Germain, but it does give Arteta another trusted defender at a moment when White is out and the club is chasing a first European crown.
