Arteta and Luis Enrique's Tactical Mastery Fuels Arsenal and PSG's Champions League Aspirations

The Spanish managers have transformed their teams with meticulous strategies.

José Manuel Andrés

Madrid

Lunes, 28 de abril 2025, 17:05

Arsenal and PSG find themselves on the brink of the Champions League final, a milestone that represents the pinnacle of their European ambitions. Both Londoners and Parisians, two of the continent's football giants yet to capture the coveted trophy, are experiencing a period of prosperity. This success is largely attributed to their managers, two of the finest exponents of the Spanish coaching school.

Mikel Arteta and Luis Enrique have redefined their teams through methodical approaches. They are meticulous planners who have crafted winning projects with quality touches befitting two of Europe's elite squads, primarily through extensive tactical work down to the finest detail.

Real Madrid is well aware of the threat posed by Arteta's Arsenal, which has reached the semi-finals with 14 goals scored and only 4 conceded in their knockout matches. They outclassed PSV Eindhoven in the round of 16 and dismantled the reigning European champions in the quarter-finals, with a style of play built on a solid foundation, exemplified by Mikel Merino's remarkable transformation into a number 9 capable of covering for the key absences of Gabriel Jesus and Havertz.

Gone are the days of a fragile Arsenal, a good team that often faltered in crucial moments. Under the guidance of the Basque manager, the Gunners are back in the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 16 years, with their sights set on a second final in the club's history, following the one that a golden generation led by Thierry Henry narrowly missed against Frank Rijkaard's Barcelona in 2006.

While the Emirates side may still need to take the step forward to reclaim the English Premier League throne, they have already shown their capabilities in the Champions League. Beyond tactical prowess, Arteta has changed the mindset of the London team, pushing them out of their comfort zone and instilling the necessary game intelligence to act freely in every situation.

Arsenal boasts a reliable goalkeeper in David Raya, an emerging full-back in Lewis-Skelly, one of the continent's best central defensive partnerships in Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, which has been disrupted by the Brazilian's injury; a midfield with a range of skills through diverse profiles like Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, and Martin Odegaard; and wingers as dynamic as Bukayo Saka or Martinelli, along with the surprise forward revelation, Merino.

From Stars to a Cohesive Unit

A similar scenario unfolds at Paris Saint-Germain with Luis Enrique, who has achieved the remarkable feat of transforming a galaxy of stars into a cohesive and recognisable unit. The French champions swept aside fellow French side Brest in the intermediate playoff, following a group stage that was less successful in terms of results than in gameplay, and then overcame two demanding opponents in Liverpool, primarily, and Aston Villa.

The formula for success lies in the absence of divas, a category of player that recently dominated the home dressing room at the Parc des Princes. Lucho warned at the end of last season, his first at PSG, that despite Kylian Mbappé's departure, he would build an even more powerful team. He has delivered on his promise, with the emergence of the once wayward Ousmane Dembélé, the rise of well-prepared young talents like Barcola or Doué, and the spectacular performance of a midfield with an Iberian flavour, comprising Portuguese players Vitinha and Joao Neves and Spaniard Fabián Ruiz.

Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, two attacking full-backs symbolising Parisian strength on the counterattack, are additional assets for a team that outgrew the French Ligue 1 long ago but has now, under Luis Enrique, reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in its history. Donnarumma's performance is unpredictable, as the Italian is capable of both brilliance and blunders, but PSG's collective performance inspires optimism for the French champions.