They had hardly any time to rest after that, with the 2025-26 season starting exactly one month after the end of the Club World Cup, and of course the European Super Cup. And of course, a few days after that, the new battle to defend the Ligue 1 title began.

The new edition of the Club World Cup has not been particularly popular, with many fans experiencing their own version of football fatigue. Many of them would have welcomed their own summer break.

Of course there's no way to say for sure that Chelsea's players have been affected by their run to Club World Cup glory, but it may also not be a coincidence that they've only won two of their first six league games of the season. And they finished way back in 10th place. Cole Palmer, for example, has had such a disappointing season that he won't even be at this summer's World Cup. For better or worse, that will soon become apparent…

But since the new season kicked off with the Super Cup in August, there's really no comparison between the demands on Paris Saint-Germain's players and Arsenal's. Since the start of the 2025-26 season, Arsenal have played more games than any other team in any of Europe's top 5 leagues. And, more importantly, their opportunities to change players have, unlike Paris Saint-Germain, been rare.

For example, when Paris Saint-Germain started their domestic season against Nantes, their starting line-up included only two players who had started in the Champions League final a few months earlier. The departure of Italy international goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to Manchester City meant that one of those changes to the starting line-up was inevitable. But, 7 of the other 8 were decisions of their Spanish coach, Luis Enrique, the other was forced due to the suspension of the important midfielder Joao Neves.

That day against Nantes, with the game 0-0, Nuno Mendes, Ashraf Hakimi, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Kvitsa Kvaratskhelia were on the bench and came on as substitutes to force a 1-0 win.

Luis Enrique has managed to rest his players completely from Ligue 1 games regularly. And that means that, despite the fact that Paris Saint-Germain play a lot of matches, their most important players have undergone a lot of changes and therefore enter the final relatively fresh.

Many of Paris Saint-Germain's best players have played superbly this season. Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele started just 11 of 34 Ligue 1 games. Joao Neves, Nuno Mendes and Fabian Ruiz started 13 each. Kvaratskhelias 18, Doue and Hakimi 16 and Marquinios 11.

So now Luis Enrique's footballers are invited to present themselves in their best possible playing condition and show the whole planet that they remain the best team in the world.

What a treat awaits the fans

Her followers flock by the thousands here to beautiful Budapest, home to the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, the European Police Academy and the first foreign office of the China Investment Promotion Agency. The city is home to over 40 colleges and universities, including Etves Lorand University, Corvinus University, Semmelweis University, and Budapest University of Technology and Economics. In operation since 1896, the city's Metro serves 1.27 million and the Tram Network 1.08 million passengers daily.

Buda Castle, built on top of a hill, is undoubtedly one of the most impressive buildings in Budapest. It is essentially a complex of palaces, which today houses the Hungarian National Gallery and the Historical Museum of Budapest. It is located on the left bank of the Danube and is connected to the center by the Chain Bridge.

Maybe if someone wants to go up to the Castle from Király stairs from Clark Ádám square, by bus 16 from Deák square Ferenc or with the special cable car (costs around €10). He can also see the collection of the Historical Museum with a history of 2000 years. You will see rooms that will convey to you the tradition of Budapest. You can enter the basement and explore the chapel and the Gothic hall.

• And of course the National Gallery which mainly includes paintings, as well as some sculptures by Hungarian artists. It consists of four floors and traces Hungarian art from the 11th century to the present day.

So the final is not just a game. It is also a cultural union of different worlds...