Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has hailed Arsenal as one of the best teams in Europe following their impressive performance in the UEFA Champions League. The praise comes as PSG prepares to face the North London side in the semi-finals of the competition.
Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, secured a dominant 3-0 first-leg victory over Real Madrid in the quarter-finals and followed it up with a confident 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu to book their place in the final four. Despite Madrid’s hopes of mounting a famous comeback on home soil, they were largely neutralized by a composed and clinical Arsenal side.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Luis Enrique acknowledged Arsenal’s growth and form this season. “We know who Arsenal has eliminated,” he said. “We’re among the last four teams left, and we’re playing against the best team in Europe.”
PSG themselves had a challenging group stage campaign, including a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal back in October. They also fell to Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich and were held to a 1-1 draw at home by PSV. However, the French champions have since bounced back strongly, claiming victories over Premier League clubs Liverpool and Aston Villa in the knockout stages.
When asked whether facing another Premier League team gave PSG an edge, Enrique was quick to dismiss any perceived advantage. “No, well, it’s neither an advantage nor a disadvantage,” he stated. “It’s obvious there’s a pattern of English teams dominating. But in this case, we’ve already faced Liverpool and Arsenal about seven or eight months ago, also Aston Villa, and now it’s Arsenal again.”
The upcoming semi-final promises to be a thrilling contest, as both teams are eager to secure a spot in the Champions League final. With Arsenal showing impressive form in Europe and PSG hungry to claim their first-ever Champions League trophy, the stage is set for a high-stakes showdown.
Luis Enrique’s respect for Arsenal underlines the challenge ahead for PSG but also highlights the strength and quality Arteta’s side has developed over the season. Fans across Europe will be eagerly watching as two of the continent’s top teams go head-to-head in one of the most anticipated matches of the season.
Post a Comment