PSG were no match to ´superior´ Arsenal, concedes Luis Enrique

Paris Saint-Germain were no match for Arsenal, so says Luis Enrique, who does not know how long it will take to transform his team into Champions League contenders.

The French champions, who lost their talisman Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid in the summer and look like a side in transition, suffered their first defeat of the season in all competitions.

Goals by Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka put Arsenal in control before half-time and although PSG hit the woodwork twice they only 0.36 expected goals (xG) throughout the contest.

Luis Enrique, who left out forward Ousmane Dembele for disciplinary reasons, accepted his share of responsibility but is unsure if his team can match Europe’s best.

“Today we were far away from the standards you need in this kind of match. Arsenal were much better in terms of pressure, intensity, they won every duel,” Luis Enrique told reporters.

THANK YOU #ARSPSG I #UCL https://t.co/kYsqqWYhU7 pic.twitter.com/FoBwTrMMsn

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) October 1, 2024

“It’s impossible to play for a positive result when you don’t win any of your duels on the pitch, their defenders anticipated our attackers and our defenders didn’t anticipate their attackers. Arsenal were superior.

“I can’t properly evaluate the level of our team, we will have to wait until the end of the season,” he said.

“This was our first big rival at a higher level. We knew from the first minute they would press us high and they did it aggressively and we couldn’t cope with that pressure.

“Mikel [Arteta] has been [at Arsenal] for five years, I’ve been at Paris for one year and two months. I don’t know where we are. I have a clear idea where I want us to be but I don’t know how much time I will need.”

Since beating Manchester United at Old Trafford in December 2020, PSG have lost all four of their away Champions League matches in England, losing twice to Manchester City and once apiece to Newcastle United and Arsenal.