Enrique praises Arsenal’s domestic dominance ahead of Champions League final
The two Spanish managers are set to clash in Budapest, with PSG seeking a back-to-back European title against an Arsenal side celebrating their first league win in 22 years.
Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has publicly acknowledged Arsenal as the superior force in the Premier League, stating he was not surprised by Mikel Arteta’s recent domestic success. Speaking ahead of the Champions League final, the PSG coach described the north London club as the "best team in the league" and "worthy of winning," noting the difficulty of maintaining their position with Manchester City in close pursuit.
Enrique attributed Arsenal’s title triumph to Arteta’s deep integration with the squad, highlighting that the manager has been at the club for six and a half years and knows the players "inside and out." This assessment comes as the two Spanish tacticians prepare to face each other in the upcoming final, a rematch of sorts following PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory over Arsenal in the 2024/25 semi-finals.
The encounter will take place at the Ferenc Puskas Arena in Budapest, where PSG aims to retain their European crown and secure back-to-back titles. For Arsenal, the match represents a pursuit of their first European crown since the competition was rebranded in the 1992-93 season, adding significant historical weight to the contest against a side that has previously eliminated them from the tournament.
When questioned about a video in which Arteta expressed confidence in Arsenal’s Champions League ambitions, Enrique dismissed the notion as irrelevant to his own team’s preparation. He maintained that winning the competition remains the sole motivation for PSG, emphasizing that his focus remains strictly on optimizing his squad’s performance rather than engaging with external narratives or rival declarations.
Tactical expectations for the final highlight a contrast between Arsenal’s defensive rigidity and PSG’s attacking potency. However, Enrique faces squad uncertainties, particularly regarding the availability of right-back Achraf Hakimi, who missed an internal friendly. Warren Zaire-Emery is considered a capable alternative, offering defensive reliability that could mitigate the risk should Hakimi be unavailable for the decisive match.
