Luis Enrique: "We can look forward to a truly great final"
Men's football•
The Paris Saint-Germain manager gave his thoughts on the UEFA Champions League final at a press conference ten days out from the showpiece clash with Arsenal in Budapest.
“When you reach the final stages of the season, it’s more mental than physical fatigue that the players are dealing with. And especially after a season like the one we’ve just had. We need to create the best possible conditions for them when they come to training, so that they can work hard but also enjoy coming to work. Rest is also an integral part of preparation, especially when we’re playing matches like these.”
“I think our management of emotions is different this year. We have the experience of last season. There are similar situations, and we’ve been through them; there will be pressure to deal with, because that’s normal, but I think we’re even better prepared than last season."
“The most important thing for us is to focus more on ourselves, and less on the opposition. That’s what we’ll continue to do. We’re talking about the best club competition in Europe, so yes, there’s an element of adaptation - because the standard is very high. Bayern, for example, are a team who really like to have the ball, so we had to adapt. But I think we’ve managed to raise our game too, and we’re proud to be in the final again.”
“He’s exemplary. He defends all the time, and he’s an important role model for everyone. He shines in his role, he scores goals, he’s decisive, but he really shines in his defensive duties. He never fails to give his all for the team. Ousmane constantly demonstrates his individual quality on the ball, but also his performance off the ball.”
“I’m very lucky to be able to work alongside the Chairman and the sporting management. It’s very difficult to have that sort of relationship at a club, and we’re fortunate to have it here. And then there’s the quality of the players, which also allows us to get the results we want. It’s a great time for the club, and we want to keep it that way."
“I think they deserve to win the league; they’ve had a brilliant season. We’ve already played against this Arsenal side, so we know what they’re capable of. They’re one of the best teams when they don’t have the ball, and when they do, they score plenty of goals. It makes sense that we’re facing them in the final. We can look forward to a truly great final.”
“Every year, I have less and less control over things. I still have control over what’s really important, but everything changes very quickly in football. You have to be able to constantly reinvent yourself. I believe football is heading in this direction: having a little less control in order to surprise people - even our opponents."
“Football has given me more than I’ve given it. What matters to me is being competitive, winning the next match, and always finding the best possible way to communicate with the players, who are getting younger and younger, whilst I’m getting a bit older every year! But it’s that unpredictable side that I really like."
“When you look at Arsenal’s stats, you can see that Mikel Arteta is a leader as a manager, who has instilled a winning mentality in the team. They’ve been improving for several seasons now; they love the ball, but they’re the best team in Europe without it. They won the Premier League, and they’re in the Champions League final this year after reaching the semi-finals last season. They deserve to be there, and Arteta instils a competitive spirit in his players.”