LONDON, May 29 (Reuters) - Arsenal's pursuit of ⁠Champions League glory in Saturday's final is likely to depend heavily on how well the core of their team ⁠deals with a rampaging Paris St Germain side.

With the pressure of trying to deliver the Premier League title ‌now released, Arsenal are seeking a glittering double and proof they are firmly part of Europe's elite.

They face a formidable challenge in Budapest against Luis Enrique's outstanding PSG team, with their rare blend of eye-catching flair, intelligence and hard graft.

But Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has built a spine to his side that might ​just be the perfect foil.

At its base, goalkeeper David Raya has kept nine ⁠clean sheets in Arsenal's 14-game unbeaten run to the ⁠final.

Arteta acknowledges he ruffled some feathers when he brought the Spaniard in three years ago but views it as one of ⁠the ‌decisions that helped Arsenal clinch their first domestic title in 22 years and reach their first Champions League final in 20.

In central defence, the pace and ball-playing composure of Frenchman William Saliba is balanced perfectly by Brazilian Gabriel Magalhaes' raw ⁠aggression and knack of scoring vital goals - usually from corners.

Gabriel, 28, joined Arsenal ​in 2020, less than a year after ‌Arteta took over, and while there was talk they might have to sell him to raise funds at one ⁠stage that now seems ​unthinkable.

The centre back has consistently proved his importance to the side, such as the last-ditch intervention that prevented Atletico Madrid's Giuliano Simeone levelling in the semi-final.

In big games "somebody has to deliver a magic moment", Arteta said, "and Gabriel again delivered that".

MIDFIELD HORSEPOWER

If Arsenal are to prevent PSG running wild, as ⁠they did in last year's 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the ​showpiece match, £105 million ($141 million) record signing Declan Rice will have to be firing on all cylinders in midfield.

Dubbed "the horse" due to the amount of work he gets through, the 27-year-old's relentless running, pinpoint set-pieces and tireless tackling are central to Arsenal's game.

He played in all ⁠but one of Arsenal's Premier League matches before they wrapped up the title and has racked up well over 3,000 minutes in all competitions this season, second to Raya.

"It's a final, anything can happen," Rice told the BBC. "We are going to be ready for it. We want the double."

At the top of Arsenal's spine is likely to be close-season signing Viktor Gyokeres, who has scored five ​goals in the Champions League campaign.

That might look modest compared to the 10 of PSG's ⁠Khvicha Kvaratskhelia but the Sweden striker also triggers Arsenal's early press - key to why PSG coach Luis Enrique thinks his opponents are "the best ​team in the world without the ball."

Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, whose 'Invincibles' team was ‌famed for flair but also had a resolute backline, has said ​Arteta’s side are now an impressive proposition.

"This Arsenal team's main strength is their ability to keep a clean sheet," the Frenchman told UEFA, "and in a final, that isvery important."

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(Reporting by Marc Jones; Editing by Peter Rutherford)