Luis Enrique reacts to Arsenal eliminating Real Madrid from Champions League
Luis Enrique insists Paris Saint-Germain should not be considered favourites for the Champions League ahead of their semi-final against Arsenal (PSG) Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has hailed Arsenal as ‘one of the best teams in Europe’ after they eliminated Real Madrid from the Champions League this week. Mikel Arteta’s side sealed a 3-0 victory in the first leg of their quarter-final tie last week but ahead of the return fixture on Wednesday night, Madrid’s players were confident of staging another historic Champions League comeback. However, Madrid struggled to trouble Arsenal at the Santiago Bernabeu and Arteta’s men sealed a 2-1 victory to set up a Champions League semi-final tie against PSG. Luis Enrique’s side lost 2-0 away to Arsenal in October in what was an unconvincing run during the league phase of the Champions League as they were beaten by Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich, and were held to a 1-1 draw at home by PSV. But since then, PSG have seen off both Liverpool and Aston Villa in the knockout stage. Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. Asked on Friday if PSG have an advantage by playing another Premier League side in Arsenal, Luis Enrique replied: ‘No, well, it is neither an advantage nor a disadvantage. Luis Enrique has praised Mikel Arteta’s impact at Arsenal (Reuters) ‘It is obvious that there is a pattern that can be common among English teams. ‘But in this case, we have faced Liverpool and Arsenal already, it has been seven or eight months, also Aston Villa, and now it is Arsenal once again. ‘We know who was eliminated by Arsenal, we are in the last four, so against one of the best teams in Europe. ‘It’s a team that has had a very good evolution with Mikel Arteta over the last few seasons and they’re performing very, very well.’ PSG survived a defeat against Aston Villa to reach the Champions League semi-final (UEFA via Getty) Villa came close to mounting a comeback against PSG in the second leg this week as they came from two goals down in the first half to take a 3-2 lead by the 57th minute. Unai Emery’s side were unable to find a fourth goal which would have made it 5-5 on aggregate and PSG held on to secure their place in the semi-final. Despite the defeat at Villa Park, Luis Enrique insists he saw plenty of encouraging signs from his PSG players ahead of their tie against Arsenal and dismissed suggestions that his side are now favourites to win the Champions League. ‘I liked the attitude of my players, their behaviour, it’s true we made some mistakes but it’s a game where you make mistakes sometimes,’ Luis Enrique said. ‘There are things to improve without a doubt but most of what I saw and what I analysed was positive. ‘It wouldn’t be fair to think that we’re always going to crush our opponents and that we’re the only team in the Champions League and we are the favourites. ‘No one at PSG believes it either, not the players, not the coach, we are one of four favourites to win this cup because we have done well throughout the season. ‘I think it’s also important for us to be the only team that was in the last four last year and this year we are there again. ‘So what I saw was very positive and it’s obvious that there were 10 minutes at the start of the second half where the opponent was very close to equalising the tie but they didn’t do it.’ PSG won their fourth successive Ligue 1 title earlier in April (AP) Earlier this month, PSG won their fourth successive Ligue 1 title with six games to spare. Asked how he can still keep his squad motivated with their remaining games in Ligue 1 alongside the prospect of a semi-final against Arsenal, Luis Enrique replied: ‘That is a good question. ‘I have been one of the most criticised coaches in Europe due to my selections. I have made a lot of changes, I was fully criticised in Rome, Paris, Barcelona, so everyone usually tells me I am replacing too many players. ‘Now I am reducing this and I am still criticised because, ‘I do not trust my players’. ‘So a good question but it is a bit difficult, if I may. A lot of players have the ability to play as main players, and they can be very competitive in any competition, in any match. ‘Of course, I need to have 16 or 17 players and I need to take advantage of their qualifies. But the fact that they didn’t play doesn’t mean that I don’t trust them. ‘I was a bit doubtful so I decided not to replace my players because I was not 100 per cent sure, but I will always trust all of my players.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has hailed Arsenal as ‘one of the best teams in Europe’ after they eliminated Real Madrid from the Champions League this week.
Mikel Arteta’s side sealed a 3-0 victory in the first leg of their quarter-final tie last week but ahead of the return fixture on Wednesday night, Madrid’s players were confident of staging another historic Champions League comeback.
However, Madrid struggled to trouble Arsenal at the Santiago Bernabeu and Arteta’s men sealed a 2-1 victory to set up a Champions League semi-final tie against PSG.
Luis Enrique’s side lost 2-0 away to Arsenal in October in what was an unconvincing run during the league phase of the Champions League as they were beaten by Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich, and were held to a 1-1 draw at home by PSV.
But since then, PSG have seen off both Liverpool and Aston Villa in the knockout stage.
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Asked on Friday if PSG have an advantage by playing another Premier League side in Arsenal, Luis Enrique replied: ‘No, well, it is neither an advantage nor a disadvantage.
‘It is obvious that there is a pattern that can be common among English teams.
‘But in this case, we have faced Liverpool and Arsenal already, it has been seven or eight months, also Aston Villa, and now it is Arsenal once again.
‘We know who was eliminated by Arsenal, we are in the last four, so against one of the best teams in Europe.
‘It’s a team that has had a very good evolution with Mikel Arteta over the last few seasons and they’re performing very, very well.’
Villa came close to mounting a comeback against PSG in the second leg this week as they came from two goals down in the first half to take a 3-2 lead by the 57th minute.
Unai Emery’s side were unable to find a fourth goal which would have made it 5-5 on aggregate and PSG held on to secure their place in the semi-final.
Despite the defeat at Villa Park, Luis Enrique insists he saw plenty of encouraging signs from his PSG players ahead of their tie against Arsenal and dismissed suggestions that his side are now favourites to win the Champions League.
‘I liked the attitude of my players, their behaviour, it’s true we made some mistakes but it’s a game where you make mistakes sometimes,’ Luis Enrique said.
‘There are things to improve without a doubt but most of what I saw and what I analysed was positive.
‘It wouldn’t be fair to think that we’re always going to crush our opponents and that we’re the only team in the Champions League and we are the favourites.
‘No one at PSG believes it either, not the players, not the coach, we are one of four favourites to win this cup because we have done well throughout the season.
‘I think it’s also important for us to be the only team that was in the last four last year and this year we are there again.
‘So what I saw was very positive and it’s obvious that there were 10 minutes at the start of the second half where the opponent was very close to equalising the tie but they didn’t do it.’
Earlier this month, PSG won their fourth successive Ligue 1 title with six games to spare.
Asked how he can still keep his squad motivated with their remaining games in Ligue 1 alongside the prospect of a semi-final against Arsenal, Luis Enrique replied: ‘That is a good question.
‘I have been one of the most criticised coaches in Europe due to my selections. I have made a lot of changes, I was fully criticised in Rome, Paris, Barcelona, so everyone usually tells me I am replacing too many players.
‘Now I am reducing this and I am still criticised because, ‘I do not trust my players’.
‘So a good question but it is a bit difficult, if I may. A lot of players have the ability to play as main players, and they can be very competitive in any competition, in any match.
‘Of course, I need to have 16 or 17 players and I need to take advantage of their qualifies. But the fact that they didn’t play doesn’t mean that I don’t trust them.
‘I was a bit doubtful so I decided not to replace my players because I was not 100 per cent sure, but I will always trust all of my players.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
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