Martinelli sits at the center of Arsenal's Champions League final story, even before a ball is kicked against Paris Saint-Germain. For Arsenal, this is a rare chance to return to Europe's biggest stage after two decades away. For supporters, it is also a final that has raised questions far beyond football, after pressure grew for the match to be made free to watch in Britain.

The appeal of the game is obvious. Arsenal have reached the final in Budapest with a side built around pace, structure and sudden bursts of quality from players like Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli. PSG bring a deep, technically gifted squad and the kind of attacking talent that can change a final in a moment. But the presence of Martinelli in Arsenal's squad gives Mikel Arteta another route into the match: direct running, recovery pressure and the ability to stretch a defense that will be alert to every wide threat.

That matters because finals are often decided by small margins. Arsenal's route to the title match has been shaped by disciplined defending, strong goalkeeping and moments of sharp transition. Martinelli has been part of that larger identity, whether starting wide or offering a dangerous option from the bench. In a game where PSG are likely to control long stretches of possession, Arsenal may need exactly that kind of outlet - a forward who can turn a clearance into a break, or a half-chance into a decisive move.

The stakes are also cultural. Britain's prime minister publicly urged the broadcaster with exclusive rights to make the final free to air, arguing that a match of this scale should be available to the widest possible audience. The concern was not only for Arsenal fans, but for football supporters generally. A Champions League final featuring an English club, a French powerhouse and one of the game's most marketable young squads naturally draws huge interest. Yet for the first time in decades, many viewers would need a subscription to access it. That has turned the final into a debate about who gets to share in the sport's biggest moments.

On the field, Arsenal's selection puzzle is just as compelling. The starting XI has plenty of balance, but the bench could be decisive if the match opens up. Martinelli, along with other attacking options, gives Arteta flexibility if Arsenal need to chase the game or exploit tiring full-backs late on. His value is not only in goals. He presses with intensity, tracks back, and can force mistakes from defenders who are under pressure. Against PSG, that sort of work rate can be as important as flair.

PSG, though, are not a side likely to be rattled easily. Their midfield has the control to slow Arsenal down, and their front line can punish any lapse. If Arsenal are to win, they may need to be compact without becoming passive, aggressive without losing shape. That is where Martinelli's profile fits so neatly into the contest. He is one of the players most capable of carrying Arsenal from containment into threat. He can run at defenders, attack space behind the line, and create the kind of chaos that finals often require.

There is also a broader sense that this final is about Arsenal proving they can belong at this level again. The club have spent years building toward a night like this, and reaching the final has already validated much of that project. But the real measure is whether they can turn structure into silverware. In that context, Martinelli represents more than one attacking option. He is part of the identity of a team that wants to play with courage, speed and purpose.

The match thread of expectations is clear enough: Arsenal supporters want a disciplined performance, PSG want to impose their quality, and neutral viewers want the kind of final that feels worthy of the stage. Yet the reality of a one-off final is that it can swing on a single run, a single finish, or a single substitution. Martinelli could be central to that swing. If Arsenal need a moment of directness, he can provide it. If they need width to pull PSG apart, he can provide that too. If they need energy late on, he is one of the players most likely to deliver it.

That is why his name has become so closely tied to this final. Martinelli is not simply another squad member in a big game. He is one of the players most likely to define how Arsenal attack PSG, either from the start or as the match evolves. In a final where access, expectation and pressure have all become part of the build-up, his role on the pitch may end up being one of the clearest reasons Arsenal believe they can finish the job.