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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) coach Luis Enrique insisted his team does not enter Saturday’s Champions League final against Arsenal as the favourites, predicting a fiercely contested match despite his squad’s status as defending champions.
The upcoming clash features a stark statistical contrast: the French champions lead the tournament with a thrilling 44 goals, while Arsenal boasts the competition’s tightest defence, conceding only six times.
Although PSG cruised to a historic 5-5 victory over Inter Milan in last season’s final to claim their first crown, Enrique warned that such lopsided finals are rare exceptions and expects an incredibly tight match in Budapest.
The Asturian coach dismissed the idea that the final represents a total clash of footballing philosophies.
He argued that while the two teams employ different tactics, both actually share similar approaches; Arsenal score plenty of goals, and PSG defend effectively in their own way.
Enrique emphasised that managing immense stress and mastering minor tactical details will ultimately decide the outcome.
While acknowledging that Arsenal’s quest for a maiden Champions League title provides powerful motivation, he countered that the drive to win back-to-back trophies offers an even greater psychological edge.
If PSG triumph at the Puskas Arena, Enrique will join an elite group of just four other managers who have lifted the trophy three times, adding to his 2015 victory with Barcelona and last year’s success with PSG.
Only Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid has successfully defended a modern Champions League title.
Enrique credited PSG’s world-class facilities and elite player roster for accelerating his ultimate goal of bringing European glory to Paris, and he confirmed that star defenders Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes are fully fit to play tomorrow.
