Mikel Arteta and Luis Enrique PSG vs Arsenal Game (Photo: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Paris Saint-Germain manager Louis Enrique has argued that he doesn’t think Arsenal is a great team in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
This is despite Gunners boss Mikel Arteta claiming that it was something the PSG bench told him after the final whistle right after the game.
Arsenal is destined to finish the trophyless again this season after losing 3-1 total to PSG in the Champions League semi-finals.
Arteta was clearly proud of how his team played, and later claimed that they felt they were in control and that the PSG staff also recognized it.
See below for Arteta’s quote about what he claims PSG is telling him, according to Fabrizio Romano…
Arteta may not be entirely honest here, as Enrique certainly did not seem to share his views when he spoke.
Luis Enrique denys what Mikel Arteta said about Arsenal
“Mikel Arteta is a great friend, but I don’t agree at all,” Enrique said according to BBC Sports.
“They played in a clever way, they played in the way they wanted and the way they loved, so they got the match for them in the right moment for them. But we score more points than they do, and that’s the most important thing in football.
“Arsenal played a great game, and we struggled, but we deserved to reach the final.
“They’re a great team, but I’ll repeat, we scored more goals, we played in a great way in Game 1, and the second half of Game 2 was another game and we managed to score more goals.”
What does the statistics say about PSG vs Arsenal?
Arteta may have been misleading what PSG is saying, but the statistics would seem to support his claims about how well Arsenal played.
In Parc Des Princes last night, the AFC had more ownership, shots and higher XG than the enemy.
psg | Arsenal | |
Owned | 45.9% | 54.1% |
shot | 11 | 19 |
Target shot | 6 | 4 |
xg | 1.74 | 3.14 |
Of course, there was a way for Arsenal to make it even better, but the main issue with both feet was the finishing touches. So signing a new striker in the summer must be an urgent priority for the North London Giants.