TL:DR – Luis Enrique comments on Arsenal after PSG’s draw with Newcastle in the Champions League
- Luis Enrique claims Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) remain Champions League favourites despite a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United (1).
- Both teams finished outside the top eight, missing automatic qualification for the last-16 (2).
- PSG will face either Monaco or Qarabag in the play-off round (3).
- Arsenal are viewed as strong contenders after winning all eight league phase games (4).
- Luis Enrique asserts confidence in his team’s potential to improve and succeed again (5).
Luis Enrique makes Arsenal claim after PSG draw with Newcastle in Champions League | Football
Luis Enrique maintains PSG are still the standout favourites to win the Champions League (UEFA via Getty)
Luis Enrique insists Paris Saint-Germain should still be considered as the favourites ahead of Arsenal to win the Champions League this season.
PSG were held to a 1-1 draw by Newcastle United at the Parc des Princes in their final game of the Champions League league phase on Wednesday night.
That result means PSG and Newcastle both finished outside of the top eight and failed to automatically qualify for the Champions League last-16 stage.
PSG and Newcastle must now wait for Friday’s draw to discover who they will meet in the play-off round. One team will play Monaco, while the other will face Azerbaijani side Qarabag.
Arsenal, meanwhile, were the only team to win all eight of their games in the Champions League league phase and are now regarded by many as favourites to win the competition this term.
Last season, PSG also finished outside of the top eight and were forced to go through the play-off round before winning the Champions League.
PSG will play either Monaco or Qarabag in the Champions League play-off round (AFP via Getty)
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Luis Enrique’s side beat Brest 10-0 on aggregate in the play-offs before they knocked out Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal en route to the final, where they ran out 5-0 winners over Inter.
Speaking after PSG’s draw with Newcastle, Luis Enrique was adamant that his side should be considered as favourites to win the Champions League for a second successive season.
‘It was a very good first half. We started positively. We missed a penalty, but we created chances. The equaliser just before half-time hurt,’ Luis Enrique said.
Arsenal are the only team to win all eight of their Champions League league phase games (Reuters)
‘Physically, Newcastle are strong. We knew that before the match. We deserved to win, not by a huge margin, but by a little more. We face very different teams in Ligue 1.
‘I have nothing to reproach my players for, even if some didn’t perform at their usual level. I don’t see anyone as a bigger favorite than us in the competition.’
Luis Enrique added: ‘We can be better, get better results. But we’re here, we’re ready. We’ll see who we play against, Monaco or Qarabag.
‘I’m very demanding of my team. We have to analyse who we’re going to face. We had 13 points before the last match. We deserved to win against Newcastle. The defeat in Lisbon, however, was undeserved.’