Mikel Areta and Luis Enrique have given various opinions about what Arsenals meant 2-0 against Paris Saint-Germain at the beginning of this season in the context of their semi-finals of the Champions League.
The clubs, one of which will fight for a first European crown in the final of the next month, met in the league phase beforehand. It came on the second matchday, with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka scored in the first half in the Emirates stage.
In the Champions League for PSG, this triggered a Win-Last series of four games, the status of which was only secured later on the last three match days by successive victories against Red Bull Salzburg, Manchester City and Stuttgart.
They have stormed into the title Ligue 1 again and have thrown Liverpool from Europe since then, both legs dominate, although they still need a penalty shootout to do the work. The quarter -finals against Aston Villa also looked like a child’s play at 5: 1 in total until three three came closer.
Despite this back against Villa, the defeat against Arsenal at the beginning of the season and surprisingly not in one of her last two domestic games, Enrique insists that his team is confident.
“We beat Liverpool and they won the Premier League this year. But that means nothing because every single game is different”, the Spaniard, who won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2015.
“Everyone talks about the Premier League as the best league in the world. I don’t know if I agree or not. But we are full of confidence and look forward to playing in the semifinals.
“The game [against Arsenal] took place on October 1st, that was seven or eight months ago. There are big differences between now and then, “he said.” I checked the game and saw how far our game got and we are better now. We are a more complete team.
“Our next goal is to rewrite the story, and there is only one way to do this. I would like to remind you that Arsenal has not yet won the Champions League and only one of us receives the final over the two legs and I hope that the PSG will be.”
But where Enrique has no meaning for the Emirates meeting in autumn, Areta and other big games that Arsenal played this season is.
“You learn a lot from every game. Go to Bernabeu [against Real Madrid] Is probably the biggest test that you can have as a European team. This brings a team to trust and experience that most of us have never had before, ”said the Gunners boss.
“I take many things out of the game we played [against PSG]. It was very important for us because they were one of the best teams in Europe at that time. To bring yourself into this category, to this level and say: “We can compete and beat them.” It was a good preparation for what was coming.
“When you get into this phase, the difference between the two teams is not big. It is really the way of thinking, the attitude and how we will play the game. It is only to visualize yourself, to be convinced to make this pitch and think we will beat you.
Arsenal tries to reach her first Champions League final since 2006 while PSG was there in 2020. After the first leg on Tuesday in London, the second leg at Parc des Princes will take place next Wednesday.