Champions League final: Timber on the bench, Havertz starts for Arsenal against PSG
PSG coach Luis Enrique fields preferred lineup with Hakimi and Dembele, Havertz chosen as Arsenal's striker over Gyokeres
BUDAPEST: Arsenal full back Jurrien Timber, who has been out since March with a groin injury but was declared fit again, will not start Saturday's Champions League final against Paris St Germain while Kai Havertz has been picked to start as the lone striker.
Timber is on the bench with Cristhian Mosquera starting at right back. The 19-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly also starts in midfield in place of Martin Zubimendi.
Havertz, who has been chosen over Viktor Gyokeres, has shown his Champions League final credentials when he scored the only goal in Chelsea's win against Manchester City in 2021.
PSG coach Luis Enrique is fielding his preferred lineup with full back Achraf Hakimi at left back and Ousmane Dembele up front after both fully recovered from injuries.
What the match means
PSG is looking to win Europe's elite competition for a second straight year, while Arsenal is bidding to become European champion for the first time on its return to the final after a 20-year wait.
Both teams are coming off winning their own domestic leagues, in France and England, respectively.
Here's what to look out for
Many of soccer's superstar players will be taking the field at Puskas Arena - not least PSG forward Ousmane Dembélé, the most recent world player of the year.
Désiré Doué, the 20-year-old forward who lit up last year's final with two goals in the record 5-0 win over Inter Milan, is still a shining light for PSG along with Georgia winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and three of Cristiano Ronaldo's top teammates with Portugal - Vitinha, Nuno Mendes and Joao Neves.
Arsenal has England stars Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice in midfield and the striker who has just sent Sweden to the World Cup - Viktor Gyökeres.
Groups of fans got physical late Friday in Budapest's frequented party area, leading police to launch an investigation over disorderly conduct.
Videos on social media showed several dozen people throwing punches and kicks, driving another group down Király street in the capital's District 7.
One fan held a burning red flare before throwing it toward the other group, which was retreating down the street. Budapest police said in a statement that the violence erupted shortly after midnight, and that it was using surveillance footage to try to identify participants.