Mikel Arteta and Luis Enrique will lock horns in the UEFA Champions League final at the Puskas Arena on Saturday night.
Luis Enrique has revealed that he plans to deploy a new defensive structure when Paris Saint-Germain face Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final.
On Saturday night, the Gunners will lock horns with the French giants at the Puskas Arena in Budapest as they each look to get their hands on some silverware. Ahead of the clash, Enrique explained that his side will have to ‘adapt’ and ‘defend in a different way’ to overcome Arsenal.
The PSG boss also leapt to the defence of Mikel Arteta, who’s been heavily scrutinised by pundits and fans of rival opposition for the manner in which his side has established itself as a top team. Enrique said: “They’re the best defensive team in Europe, and they have been for a few years. It’s an explosive combination. They don’t depend on one player. They score a lot of goals from set pieces and have that combination of being a team that doesn’t concede goals and scores a lot of goals.
“People may say that they don’t score team goals, but who cares about that? Ask any Arsenal fan, and I’m sure they’re delighted. They’ve now won the Premier League, and I congratulate them.
FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
“They deserved it from the beginning because they’ve produced a great season. They were very close to winning every competition they were in.”
Enrique pointed out that his side are also a threat from set-pieces, even though he prefers a possession-based style of play. The PSG boss said: “We’re similar in that we – just like Arsenal – try to make the most of our strengths and abilities, and to do so we need to keep the ball and express ourselves.
Find the best flight and Budapest hotel deals with Booking.com
Various Prices
Booking.com
Book here
Arsenal have booked their place in the Champions League final and fans can support the team in Budapest with a flight and hotel deal from Booking.com.
“We can also score from set pieces, but we love to keep possession through linking up, looking for ways to break down the opposition, and we have to do that as a team.”
Then, Enrique let his mask slip, suggesting there’s a greater variety of players in his squad. The 56-year-old said: “Our players have more individual profiles, but they also play as a team.
“I think we’re talking about two great teams – along with Bayern München, the three best teams in Europe. All this means we’ll have to adapt to play and defend in a different way compared to what we usually do if we want to get the better of them.”
Enrique offered a glimpse into his new defensive setup when PSG faced Bayern Munich in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final. Unlike in the reverse fixture at the Parc des Princes, where the French giants played an aggressive high line, they were far more conservative and happily defended the width of the 18-yard box.
It wasn’t until the dying embers of stoppage time that Harry Kane found a yard of space between the posts for the first time and equalised. In a separate interview with TNT Sports, Enrique shed light on how he views Arsenal, which could play into Arteta’s hands.
“I think they’re the best team without the ball in the world,” said the PSG gaffer. “Their structure without the ball, out of possession, is clearly the best. Their stats are amazing.
“Everybody knows that they are very strong without the ball, but they score a lot of goals, set pieces and the things that they dominate. That’s a very nice combination for a team.
“That’s why they haven’t lost a single match in the Champions League. We are trying to overcome them in the final and try to play the best way we can. I think it’s going to be a nice final.”
