Arsenal's sad statistics before the Champions League final: Difficult to win?

Arsenal are facing the opportunity to win their first Champions League title in history, but the painful past in European finals remains a big obsession.

Arsenal are living in their best days under coach Mikel Arteta. After ending a 22-year wait for the Premier League title, the Gunners are now just one match away from a historic double.

However, before the clash with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest, Arsenal still have to face an obsession that has lasted for over three decades: losing all European Cup finals since 1994.

The last time Arsenal reached the top of Europe was the 1993/94 season, when they beat Parma 1-0 in the European Cup Winners' Cup final thanks to a goal by Alan Smith. That was also the last major European title for the North London club to date.

Since that glorious moment, Arsenal have repeatedly fallen in the biggest matches.

The very next season, Arsenal reached the European Cup Winners' Cup final against Zaragoza. When the match seemed to end in a draw, Nayim unexpectedly lobbed the ball from near the halfway line, beating David Seaman, causing Arsenal to lose 1-2 after extra time.

In 2000, Arsenal suffered another heartbreak in the UEFA Cup final, losing to Galatasaray on penalties. A star-studded lineup including Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, and Patrick Vieira were helpless against the annoying style of the Turkish side.

The greatest tragedy perhaps came in 2006, when Arsenal reached the Champions League final for the first time. Arsene Wenger's team once led Barcelona thanks to a goal by Sol Campbell, despite being down to 10 men after Jens Lehmann's red card.

But then Samuel Eto'o and Juliano Belletti scored two goals in a row late in the match to sink Arsenal's dream of European glory.

In 2019, Arsenal suffered another painful defeat in the Europa League final against Chelsea with a score of 1-4. The bitter part was that coach Unai Emery, known as the 'king of the Europa League', suffered his only loss in a final of this competition while with Arsenal.

Now, history continues to challenge the London club. Ahead of them is PSG - the defending champion Champions League and also the team that defeated Arsenal in last season's semi-finals with an aggregate score of 3-1.

However, Arsenal's current morale is very high. Captain Martin Odegaard shared: 'We are living in a dream. If we win the Champions League, it will be extraordinary.'

The Champions League final between Arsenal vs PSG will take place at 23:00 on May 30 (Vietnam time).