Mikel Arteta hails Luis Enrique as an “inspiration” ahead of Champions League final | OneFootball

Facing the press on the eve of the Champions League final, Mikel Arteta was notably asked about his opposite number and compatriot Luis Enrique.

Having been praised by the Asturian himself a couple of hours beforehand, the Arsenal manager spoke of his former Barcelona teammate as an “inspiration” both on and off the pitch.

“He’s always been a reference. He was a very special player. Then he became a coach, and he’s been on a journey since he left Spain. He went abroad and then he came back, and now you can see what he’s done with this PSG team.”

“You can see his fingerprints all over it, from the identity, the mentality, and the way the players perform and behave. He’s been an inspiration, and tomorrow we’ll be clashing on that touchline!”

While the Basque coach recognised that the Gunners were the underdogs for tomorrow’s match, he took on a combative tone ahead of the final: “They are defending the trophy and they are the champions, we are here to take it away from them.”

Arteta also insisted that the team’s ambition had only grown since securing the Premier League title, their first major trophy in seven years: “We have the first one, and now we want the second. It has to be a platform for us to reach bigger destinations and aim for more. This team is capable, they’ve shown it in the last few seasons.”

GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin – reporting from the Puskás Aréna, Budapest