PSG's Enrique Lauds Arteta Before UCL Final with Arsenal

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) head coach Luis Enrique has heaped praise on Mikel Arteta, calling him as a world-class manager. Enrique made the remarks ahead of PSG's clash with Arsenal in the 2025/2026 Champions League final at the Puskas Arena in Hungary on Saturday, May 30, 2026.

He commended Arteta for successfully reshaping Arsenal's mentality, transforming them back into a competitive force at the pinnacle of European football. "If you look at Arteta's stats, there you have it. He's a leading manager who, since taking over at Arsenal, has changed the team's mentality and what it means to be a team that hadn't won in a long time," Enrique said, as quoted on the club's official website on Thursday, May 21, 2026.

PSG heads into the final as the defending champions. Last season, the French giants lifted the Champions League trophy after dismantling Inter Milan 5-0 in the final.

However, Les Parisiens face a completely different challenge this time around. Arsenal arrives in the final riding a wave of immense confidence after clinching the 2025/2026 English Premier League title. Their domestic triumph was confirmed after Manchester City fell to a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth.

This success ends Arsenal's 22-year wait to reclaim the Premier League crown. Under Arteta's stewardship, the North London club finally crossed the finish line at the top after finishing as runners-up for the previous three seasons.

According to Enrique, Arsenal's evolution over the past few seasons is inseparable from Arteta's profound influence as the architect of their play style.

"Now they're competitive again. For the last four seasons, they've been improving. That's the image of what Arteta is all about. Good with the ball. He doesn't give it away," Enrique noted.

He also regards Arsenal as one of the finest teams in Europe when it comes to off-the-ball organization. "We haven't won the possession battle every time we've faced them. Without the ball, they're the best team in Europe in terms of goals created and received. And he's won the Premier League, which is a very high-level competition," Enrique added.

Enrique further highlighted Arteta's tactical proximity to Pep Guardiola. Before taking the reins at Arsenal, Arteta served as Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City.

"Last year, they weren't in the Champions League because we were lucky enough to beat them. He's a top-level manager. He's been to some very good places, learning from Pep [Guardiola] at [Manchester] City. What he conveys is pretty much what we see from his players," Enrique concluded.

PSG holds a positive record in their last two Champions League encounters with Arsenal. Last season, the Parisian club knocked Arsenal out with a 3-1 aggregate victory in the semi-finals. Prior to that, PSG had failed to win in three consecutive matches against the London-based side.

Read: Mikel Arteta Now Among Arsenal's All-Time Great Coaches

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