Luis Enrique recognized that Mikel Arteta has advanced further in his project with Arsenal following Paris Saint-Germain’s disappointing defeat to the Gunners in the UEFA Champions League.
PSG suffered a 2-0 loss to Arsenal, with goals in the first half from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka securing a vital win for the Gunners, marking their first European victory of the season.
The match underscored the differing developmental stages of the two clubs, as Arsenal, under Arteta’s leadership, showcased a well-structured and determined performance, while Enrique’s PSG appeared to be a team still finding its footing.
In the post-match press conference, Luis Enrique praised Arteta and acknowledged the significant strides Arsenal has made in the last few years. “It’s not fair to compare our situations directly,” he noted. “Mikel Arteta has been with Arsenal for five years, while I’ve only been at PSG for a year and two months. I have a clear vision for this team, but it’s hard to estimate how long it will take us to achieve that level of play.”
He further stated, “It’s too early to assess the true level of our team; we will have to wait until the end of the season to see our progress. This was our first encounter with a top-tier opponent, and we anticipated their high pressing from the outset. They executed it effectively, and we struggled to manage that pressure.”
Enrique pointed to Arsenal’s physical strength and aerial prowess as critical factors in PSG’s defeat. He admitted that his players had difficulty handling Arsenal’s intensity and that their lack of competitiveness in physical confrontations contributed to the loss.
“Today, we fell short of the standards required for a match of this magnitude. Arsenal outperformed us in terms of pressing and intensity, winning every duel on the field,” Enrique assessed. “It’s impossible to secure a positive outcome when you’re losing every battle on the pitch. We didn’t win a single duel; their defenders read our attackers perfectly, while our defenders failed to anticipate their moves.”
Following their impressive win over PSG, Arsenal will return to action at the Emirates, facing a struggling Southampton on Saturday afternoon. In the meantime, PSG will go on to take on Nice at Allianz Riviera in their upcoming Ligue 1 match.
