Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique has rejected Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s assertion that the Gunners were the better team in their most recent UEFA Champions League fixtures.
PSG defeated three English outfits, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal in fierce clashes to move on to the final.
The Ligue 1 heavyweights set up a showdown with Inter Milan in Munich on May 31 after cruising past the Gunners in 3-1 aggregate thrilling victory in both legs.
How did Enrique react to Arteta’s claim?
Regardless of the result, the London side gaffer declared in a post match interview that “I don’t think there’s been a better team in the competition“ than his squad.
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“I don’t agree at all. Mikel Arteta is a great friend but I don’t agree at all,” the French side head coach revealed in a conference.
“I think they played in a clever way and they got the match to the right moment for them because they played in the way they want and love to play.”
What made PSG stand out?
The coach stressed that the Parc des Princes’ team’s capacity to score more goals than Arteta’s players across the two legs was the defining distinction.
READ MORE: PSG eliminate Arsenal to secure spot in UCL final
Though admitting the visiting squad’s talent, he insisted that the offensive skill of his team guaranteed their spot in the final.
“But I think in the two legs, we score more goals than them and in football that’s the most important thing. I have to say, Arsenal played a great match and we suffered a lot. I think it’s a match where we suffered the most.”
Matchless victory in both legs?
The ex-Barcelona manager looked more closely at the two-legged meeting, noting the home team displayed their prowess variously. He stressed how his team performed remarkably well in the first leg and handled the second leg expertly, even under the England top-tier side’s offensive pressure.
He continued: “I think we deserved to get to the final. They are a great team as well but I repeat, we scored more goals and we played in a great way in the first leg and in the second half in the second leg, it was a different match, and we could score even more goals.”
What next for the two gaffers?
Knowing that the Red and Blues have not won the European showpiece before and losing to Bayern Munich in the 2020 final, they would try to make a statement in Germany against Inter this time around.
READ THIS: Enrique Downplays Significance of Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 Slump
But before then, they would focus on their domestic league as they make a trip to lock horns with Montpellier on Saturday. On the other hand, the 13 domestic league title winners will be on the road to the Merseyside where they would slug it out with the Premier League champions Liverpool on Sunday.
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