Hot football news midday 29/5: The heat of the Champions League final

Vietnamese and European football are "shaking" with a flurry of intense updates: Dong Nai nearing V.League promotion, Thailand U19 throwing down the gauntlet to Vietnam U19, Vietnamese women's football making Asian headlines, and Arsenal, PSG, and MU constantly dominating the news before the new campaign.

Dong Nai is very close to the "door" of V-League

The 2025/26 First Division is entering a breathless phase as Dong Nai moves ever closer to the direct promotion ticket to V-League. With 47 points after 20 rounds, the "Green Warriors" are 5 points ahead of Bac Ninh and hold a massive advantage in the title race.

Needing just 2 more points in the final two rounds, Dong Nai will officially claim the championship without worrying about other results. In fact, if they beat Long An in round 21, the "Green Warriors" will secure the title one round early.

However, the risk of being overthrown remains if Dong Nai slips up at the end of the season. Bac Ninh still harbors hope of a spectacular comeback thanks to their head-to-head advantage. Therefore, the match against Long An is seen as a "final" that decides Dong Nai's V-League dream.

Thailand U19 sends a challenge to Vietnam U19

Thailand U19 is showing enormous ambition ahead of the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship, openly setting a goal to reach the final. The confident statements from coach Jukkapant immediately heated up the regional title race, especially against big rivals like Vietnam U19 or hosts Indonesia.

Before departing for Indonesia, the Thailand U19 boss asserted that his team will do everything to make it to the final match. Jukkapant's squad also brings the strongest force with 23 players considered to be in peak condition.

Despite being drawn in a relatively easy group with Malaysia U19, Singapore U19 and Brunei U19, coach Jukkapant remains cautious and does not allow his players to be complacent. With Thailand's great confidence, the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship promises to be extremely tense from the group stage onwards.

Supercomputer predicts Champions League final result

The 2025/26 Champions League final between Arsenal and PSG is heating up more than ever as the Opta supercomputer makes a noteworthy prediction. According to the latest simulation data, PSG are rated higher with a 43.5% chance of winning in 90 minutes, nearly one and a half times that of Arsenal.

"Les Parisiens" are showing terrifying strength in their title defense, scoring 44 goals in the Champions League this season. Notably, Kvaratskhelia has exploded with a devastating run of form in the knockout stages.

Nevertheless, the "Gunners" are still seen as an extremely tough opponent thanks to the tournament's tightest defense, having conceded only 6 goals in 14 matches. Remarkably, Arsenal have not conceded a single goal from open play in the Champions League knockout rounds this season.

With the team that scores first having won all of the last 11 Champions League finals, the big showdown in Budapest promises to be decided by just a single moment.

Luis Enrique praises Arsenal

Ahead of the 2025/26 Champions League final, Coach Enrique unexpectedly showers Arsenal with praise, stating that they are the best defensive team in Europe right now. The PSG tactician's comments immediately made the Budapest showdown hotter than ever.

Enrique believes that the "Gunners" under Mikel Arteta are an extremely complete unit, rich in identity and with a ball-control philosophy similar to "les Parisiens." In particular, he appreciates Arsenal's balance—not dependent on any individual, yet maintaining scoring efficiency and formidable defensive ability over many seasons.

"Arsenal are the best defensive team in Europe", Enrique emphasized to the media. With such great respect from their opponent, the "Gunners" are clearly making all of Europe wary ahead of the biggest match of the season.

MU prepares to unleash 5 blockbuster signings in a row

MU is making the 2026 summer transfer window sizzle as they close in on Ederson's signature from Atalanta. The Brazilian midfielder is reportedly agreeing to a 5-year contract with the "Red Devils," while the transfer fee is around £39 million. This is seen as a key piece to upgrade MU's midfield after a disappointing season.

Not stopping there, the "Red Devils" are also closely tracking several notable names such as Mateus Fernandes, Baleba, and Danilo. In attack, Mateta emerges as a quality yet cost-effective option for MU.

With a strong youth strategy and ambition to return to the top, "The Red Devils" are showing tremendous determination in the transfer market. If they complete this series of deals, MU could well create a long-awaited "major overhaul" for next season.

Vietnamese football causes a stir across Asia

Vietnamese football continues to be the center of attention as a series of hot news goes viral across Asia and Europe. The Vietnamese women's national team creates a shock with the 6th place in Asia on the AFC Women's Club Ranking, leaving many Southeast Asian rivals far behind thanks to the mark of Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club in the AFC Women’s Champions League.

Meanwhile, Vietnam U19 has just arrived in Indonesia and immediately became the focus of host country media ahead of the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship. In Europe, Vietnamese overseas prospect Nguyen Quoc Khai also attracted significant attention after winning the Austrian U18 championship with Red Bull Salzburg.

Not only Vietnamese football, but Europe is also burning hot ahead of the Champions League final as Mikel Arteta declares war on PSG, while Joshua Kimmich sends a spirited message ahead of the 2026 World Cup with Germany.