Luis Enrique fires warning to Arsenal before Champions League semi-final clash (2025)

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has fired a warning to Arsenal ahead of their Champions League semi-final first leg clash on Tuesday.

Both sides are hoping to land the title for the first time and whoever comes out on top in the last four will take on Barcelona or Inter Milan.

The French champions eliminated Premier League winners Liverpool in the last 16 and defeated fellow English side Aston Villa in the last eight.

Arsenal, meanwhile, cruised past Dutch club PSV Eindhoven in the round of 16 before impressively dumping out Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

The first clash between Arsenal and PSG comes at the Emirates with Enrique’s side seeking revenge after losing 2-0 to the Gunners in October.

Before their showdown in north London, Enrique has warned Arsenal that PSG are a ‘much better team’ than when they met in the league phase.

‘That was seven or eight months ago,’ a bullish Enrique told reporters in his pre-match press conference on Monday. ‘I saw the match again. We’re a much better team today.’

PSG finished as Champions League runners-up five years ago, losing the 2020 final to Bayern Munich – and the Parisians have never clinched the trophy – but Enrique was quick to point out the same is true for Arsenal.

‘PSG have never won the Champions League? Neither have Arsenal,’ Enrique said before the semi-finals.

‘We mustn’t let that stop us from performing at the highest level, we have to keep that in mind but concentrate on what we have to do.’

Meanwhile, Enrique has heaped praise on Mikel Arteta, insisting that the Spaniard has transformed Arsenal into one of the best sides in Europe.

Since Arteta took the Arsenal job in 2019, the Gunners have landed one FA Cup trophy and two Community Shield titles.

‘They’re one of the best teams in Europe and they’ve been doing a remarkable job with their coach for several years now,’ Enrique added.

Luis Enrique blasts French media ahead of Arsenal showdown

Enrique has also slammed the French media over what he believes is unfair negativity surrounding his PSG side ahead of the battle with Arsenal.

The PSG boss faced questions over Vitinha’s dip in form, PSG’s apparent vulnerability at set-pieces and some of their results in the league phase.

‘No one is talking about the goals or the games we’ve won, let’s talk about our defeats, that’s fine,’ Enrique said.

‘You can say everything you want, you can send everything my way. Our mindset is wonderful. The most unhappy or sad member of the squad is me so you can just imagine what the others are doing.’

Asked to elaborate further, he continued: ‘Let me just specify. Maybe I am getting things wrong but when I’m talking about the negative climate, I’m not talking about the fans or the staff within the club.

‘But yeah, the questions coming from the media and even the questions the journalists ask, I think it is quite negative but maybe that’s just me.’

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