Arsenal have had an easier path to the final, beating Bayer Leverkusen, Sporting and Atletico, while PSG have overcome Monaco, Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern to reach the showpiece.
But you can only beat teams in front of you – and Arsenal did so impressively to top the 32-club league phase with eight wins from as many matches, including statement victories over Bayern, Atletico and last season’s finalists Inter Milan.
The 14-game unbeaten run they are on is their longest in the competition, overtaking a 13-match streak between March 2005 and April 2006, when under Arsene Wenger they reached the final only to lose to Barcelona.
But it is the newfound defensive maturity that separates the current crop from Arsenal teams of the past.
Onuoha said: “There are definitely reasons for Arsenal to be confident about the final, 100%.
“They know the style PSG have and that if you allow them to overwhelm you, you can really struggle. But Arsenal will have a plan. Obviously they have got the domestic season to figure out as well, but they will definitely have a plan for the Champions League final and they will know they can cause PSG problems as well as keep them out.”
“Arsenal have a chance without question – with that defence they have and the goalkeeper, they’re brilliant,” former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves told TNT Sports.
Former Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard added: “I know more than anyone else that an underdog can win this final – when we won with Liverpool against AC Milan it was a mismatch.
“Arsenal will play against a high-quality team, against an elite manager. Every player will have to be on the top of their game. They have to use their physicality, size and take PSG where they don’t want go – but they certainly have a chance.”
