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Nasser Al- Khaelaifi opened up on Enrique’s incredible work ethic, as PSG went on to break their UCL hoodoo last year and went on to defend it this year.
Paris Saint-Germain’s head coach Luis Enrique celebrates at Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris, Sunday, May 31, 2026, during a special event organized to celebrate with supporters after their victory over Arsenal FC in the UEFA Champions League soccer final. (Franck Fife/Pool Photo via AP)
PSG retained the UEFA Champions League title with their win over Arsenal on penalties, after the sides remained level following extra time in the showpiece final of the continental championship in Budapest.
PSG coach Luis Enrique joined an exclusive group of managers, including Pep Guardiola, Zinedine Zidane and Bob Paisley, to lift the continental crown three times. Only Carlo Ancelotti, who has achieved the feat a record five times, stands above them.
Following the historic accomplishment, PSG chief Nasser Al- Khaelaifi opened up on Enriuque’s incredible work ethic, which has yielded dividends.
“Luis Enrique didn’t leave the club training center for 8 consecutive months,” Khaelaifi said.
“He was working daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. to the point where we were afraid he’d go mad,” he added.
Ousmane Dembele’s second-half penalty cancelled out Kai Havertz’s early strike, and missed spot-kicks from Eberechi Eze and Gabriel ultimately proved fatal for the Gunners at the last hurdle.
The triumph delivered PSG their second UCL title, while Arsenal were denied a first-ever continental crown despite a landmark campaign in which Mikel Arteta ended the club’s 22-year wait for the English top-flight championship.
Havertz, who had scored the winner for Chelsea in the UCL five years earlier, fired Arsenal into an early lead, latching onto a swift counter-attack before drilling his finish past Sefanov and sending the Arsenal supporters into raptures.
Arsenal protected their slender advantage until half-time, going into the interval with Arteta’s side still in control.
PSG emerged the brighter side after the restart, relentlessly probing the Arsenal back line as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia kept the defenders under constant pressure.
A foul on the surging Kvaratskhelia in the box by Mosquera prompted the referee to award a penalty. Having failed to break through Arsenal’s defence from open play, PSG capitalised as Dembele lashed his spot-kick beyond the diving David Raya to level the score at 1-1.
In the shootout, Goncalo Ramos, Desire Doue, Achraf Hakimi and Beraldo all converted for PSG, while Nuno Mendes saw his effort saved by Raya. Viktor Gyokeres, Declan Rice and Gabriel Martinelli scored their penalties for Arsenal, but the misses from Eze and Gabriel ensured PSG clung on to their title.
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