Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has sent a message to his Arsenal counterpart Mikel Arteta ahead of the UEFA Champions League final. The two sides will meet at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on Saturday, May 30, 2026, for the European showpiece event.
Path to the Final
PSG secured their spot in the final after a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena, which confirmed their progress with a 6-5 aggregate victory over Bayern Munich. The French Ligue 1 side had earlier eliminated the German giants in a tightly contested semi-final. Arsenal, on the other hand, booked their place in the final on Tuesday after Bukayo Saka's first-half strike secured a 1-0 win and a 2-1 aggregate scoreline over Atletico Madrid.
This is not the first time these two clubs have met in the Champions League in recent seasons. PSG and Arsenal faced each other in the semi-final of the 2025 edition, with the French club eliminating the English side and going on to win the trophy by beating Inter Milan in the final.
Luis Enrique's Message to Arteta
Shortly after his side booked their spot in a consecutive Champions League final, Luis Enrique was asked about the prospect of facing Arteta. The PSG boss recalled their time together at Barcelona, noting it as good memories from different phases of their careers.
“I appreciate Mikelito Arteta! We used to be teammates when we were kids, he did a great job at Arsenal,” Enrique said, as quoted by Mirror UK. “It will be a difficult, hard game, but we believe in our football style,” he added about the upcoming match.
Enrique's Thoughts on the Final
Enrique, who has PSG in their second consecutive final, believes that they need to enjoy the moment after an intense match. “In my opinion, it's clear, it's a moment to enjoy. It was a very high-level match, and I think both teams improved in the way they defended compared to the first leg,” he said.
The former Barcelona manager admitted that a bright start to the game and Ousmane Dembele's goal helped his team become calmer than usual in such a high-stakes match. He acknowledged that Bayern Munich were a difficult opponent and attacked constantly to try and pin PSG back, which made his team defend for a long time, something they are not used to.
He concluded by praising his players and the level that they are at, adding that a second consecutive Champions League final represents who they are. “We are in our second consecutive Champions League final. That represents the level of this team, the players, and the supporters. It's the club. We are very happy,” he added.
Match Details
According to UEFA, the final will take place at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at 5 pm GMT, earlier than previous years. The match promises to be a thrilling encounter between two top European sides.
