In a sometimes very tactically dense press conference, Luis Enrique also offered some lighter moments at the PSG Campus. Relaxed in front of the media ten days before the Champions League final against Arsenal, the Parisian coach sparked laughter in the room several times, alternating between Spanish, English and French, also playing the role of translator. Even improvising translations in the middle of an exchange, in a more relaxed atmosphere than during the usual major European meetings. Very talkative when discussing Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the Spanish technician multiplied the compliments towards his future opponent while slipping in several personal anecdotes about his London counterpart.
“If you see Arsenal’s stats, Arteta is a leading coach who has brought that winning mentality. They (the Gunners) have been improving year after year for 5 seasons. We didn’t always have the ball against them, it was difficult, but without the ball, they are the best team in Europe. With the xGs, they are the best. They won the Premier League. Last year, we beat them, but they are in the final this time. He’s a great coach, he was at a good school with Guardiola at City. This is a final against a top opponent. Arteta as a player, I worked with him for a year at Barcelona before he left for Paris. He shows his energy in every match. They can defend very low but also press high. The last final they lost, I was there as a Barça supporter, in Paris, remember”he joked, before telling a colleague of La Gazzetta dello Sport unfortunately he couldn’t do it again in Italian. Beautiful atmosphere in Poissy.
