PSG manager insists “no preference” between Arsenal & Real Madrid | OneFootball

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has insisted he doesn’t mind whether his team face Real Madrid or Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals.

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On Tuesday night, Paris Saint-Germain avoided a full comeback against Aston Villa to reach the Champions League semi-finals.

PSG had won their home leg 3-1, and they put themselves in an even more commanding position by scoring the first two goals of the game at Villa Park.

That 5-1 aggregate advantage was cut to 5-4 by the 57th minute as the hosts rallied to lead 3-2 on the night, but Luis Enrique’s side held out to win the tie – if not the game.

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Enrique and PSG will now be watching on to see if they’ll face Arsenal or Real Madrid in the semi-finals, with the deciding match taking place at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night. But the PSG boss insists he doesn’t mind either way.

“I have no preference,” Enrique said on Tuesday. “Tomorrow, I will make most of match with a meal and a small beer. It will be either an English or a Spanish team but whichever, it will be special.”

PSG have already played and lost to Arsenal this season, with the Gunners coming out 2-0 winners in October. But that was a long time ago, and they’ve significantly improved both in form and in transfer additions since then.

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PSG and Real Madrid haven’t played each other since 2021/22, when the Spanish side came from behind to win their round-of-16 tie 3-2 on aggregate.

It would be a very different tie this time around, with 2022 PSG double goalscorer Kylian Mbappe now playing for the other team and Real Madrid hat-trick hero Karim Benzema having since left the club.

Arsenal fans will hope this isn’t the year for a reunion between Mbappe and his old side.