Luis Enrique looks ahead to Champions League final against Arsenal
Luis Enrique anticipates a stern examination when Paris Saint-Germain face Arsenal in the Champions League final, though the PSG manager remains bullish about his side’s chances against his old friend Mikel Arteta, reports BritPanorama.
Speaking after Wednesday night’s semi-final triumph over Bayern Munich, Enrique expressed warm feelings towards his former Barcelona teammate, whom he affectionately termed ‘Mikelito’. “It will be a difficult, hard game but we believe in our football style,” he stated. PSG secured their place in the final following a 1-1 draw in Germany, edging Bayern 6-5 on aggregate after a thrilling nine-goal first leg ended 5-4 in favour of the French side.
Arsenal confirmed their opponents the previous evening when Bukayo Saka’s goal just before half-time proved decisive against Atletico Madrid, leading to a 1-0 victory on the night and a 2-1 aggregate success after a contentious first leg in Spain.
The upcoming final on May 30 at Budapest’s Puskas Arena marks a reunion for two managers whose relationship dates back to their time together at Camp Nou in the late 1990s, with the two having maintained contact ever since. Ahead of last season’s semi-final, Arteta spoke highly of Enrique, crediting him for his support during his formative years at Barcelona. “For me, he’s one of the best coaches in the world,” Arteta noted.
Enrique’s confidence is rooted in PSG’s attacking philosophy, a strategy that proved effective during last season’s semi-final matchup against Arsenal, where they triumphed 3-1 on aggregate, following a nervy 2-1 win in Paris and a 1-0 victory in north London. PSG later went on to claim their inaugural Champions League title, convincingly defeating Inter Milan 5-0 in the final.
PSG are aiming to become the first team to retain the Champions League since Real Madrid achieved the feat from 2016 to 2018 under Zinedine Zidane. How this clash unfolds at the end of the month remains an intriguing point of anticipation.
