Luis Enrique rejects surprise Mikel Arteta claim after PSG beat Arsenal again

Evening Standard

·7 May 2025

Luis Enrique rejects surprise Mikel Arteta claim after PSG beat Arsenal again

Paris Saint-Germain boss disagrees that Gunners were the better team in Champions League semi-final tie

Luis Enrique disagreed with Mikel Arteta’s claim that Arsenal were “much better” than Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals.

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The Gunners trailed PSG by one goal after losing the first leg at home last week and ultimately could not muster a comeback, defeated 2-1 in the decider in Paris on Wednesday night, though the scoreline did not necessarily reflect the state of the match.

Arsenal started fast, pinning PSG back with a relentless high press but failing to capitalise on any of the chances they created before eventually running out of energy.

PSG had clearly been confounded by their guests’ quick opening, but punished their wasteful attacking through Fabian Ruiz before the break, with Achraf Hakimi then adding another in the second half.

Bukayo Saka pulled a goal back late on, but quickly squandered another wonderful chance as Arsenal failed to complete their comeback.

It was a disappointing end to the Gunners’ Champions League campaign, which saw them cruise through the league phase and knock holders Real Madrid out in the quarter-finals.

PSG will move on to face Inter Milan in the final later this month. The Nerazzurri advanced after edging out Barcelona 4-3 at the San Siro on Tuesday night to win a classic tie 7-6 on aggregate.

Speaking after the full-time whistle, Arteta said Arsenal were the better side over both legs, and that only Gianluigi Donnarumma’s interventions in goal kept the French champions in contention.

The Italian made a rash of impressive saves on Wednesday to preserve PSG’s lead, denying a curling Saka effort at full stretch late in the second half.

What’s more, Arteta insisted that the PSG bench admitted to him straight after the game that his side were much superior in the tie. Enrique was quick to dispute that take, but did compliment Arsenal’s approach.

He said: “I don’t agree at all. Mikel Arteta is a great friend, but I don’t agree at all.

“I think they [Arsenal] played in a clever way today, and they get the match to the right moment for them because they play in the way they want and they love to play, but in the two legs we scored more goals than them and that is the most important thing in football.

“We deserve to be in the final.”