PSG Champions League final praise for Luis Enrique from president after Bayern win

Al-Khelaifi hails Luis Enrique as PSG reach Champions League final after Bayern thriller

Paris Saint-Germain are heading back to the Champions League final, and this time the praise from inside the club has come with real conviction.

After edging past Bayern Munich in a tight semi-final, PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi didn’t hold back in his admiration for Luis Enrique, calling him the standout figure behind their latest European surge.

The French champions squeezed through 6-5 on aggregate after a tense two-legged tie, sealing progression with a 1-1 draw in Germany on Wednesday night.

Having already carried a narrow advantage from a chaotic first leg in Paris, PSG managed the return fixture well enough to book a final against Arsenal in Budapest on May 30.

For PSG, it marks a second consecutive appearance in Europe’s biggest club match, but this run feels slightly different. Less chaos, more control. At least that’s the internal feeling.

Enrique’s impact becoming harder to ignore

Al-Khelaifi used the moment to underline just how central Luis Enrique has become to the club’s direction since arriving in 2023.

The former Barcelona boss has steadily reshaped PSG’s identity, pushing them away from the old reputation of star-driven unpredictability towards something more structured and collective.

In comments to CBS Sports Golazo, the chairman didn’t exactly hide his admiration.

Al-Khelaifi openly shared, “Luis Enrique is truly our most valuable asset, the best choice I’ve ever made. I’ve been talking to him for 15 years about bringing him here.”

“He’s an amazing coach, the top coach in the world, but he’s also a wonderful person. It’s incredible how well he manages daily activities, the players, everything, even the media, which can be tough in France. He’s simply excellent.”

“It’s an honor to have Luis Enrique at our club, along with everyone else who is creating great moments. This is what we want. We have the right spirit, and we demonstrated it today. Our players aren’t just footballers; they are true fighters.”

He revolutionised football, not just at Paris Saint-Germain, but all of football. I’m very proud of him, and he truly is the best coach in the world.”

It’s the kind of backing that tends to come only when things are going well, but it also reflects how firmly PSG believe they’ve finally found a long-term footballing identity.

A shift in mentality behind the scenes

Beyond the results, PSG’s hierarchy are especially focused on what’s changed inside the dressing room. Under Enrique, the emphasis has shifted towards collective discipline, pressing structure, and a more unified approach without the ball.

Al-Khelaifi leaned heavily on that idea when reflecting on the squad’s evolution.

“He explained how they cooperate, how they share their lives, and how they stick together, both during games and outside of them. He added, “I’m with them all the time, seeing how they are.

What I truly appreciate about this team is their effort, their strong feelings for the game, and the happiness they show when they practice and work alongside each other. It’s not always simple, but they all back each other up. We’re a true family, the PSG family.”

It’s a notable change in tone from a club once associated more with individual brilliance than collective grind. The Bayern tie, in many ways, felt like another example of that balance starting to stick.

All eyes on Arsenal in Budapest

PSG will now turn their attention to Arsenal, who overcame Atletico Madrid to reach their first Champions League final since 2006.

It sets up a meeting between two sides with very different European histories, but similar ambitions heading into the final stretch of the season.

Before that showdown, PSG still have domestic work to complete. Their final push in Ligue 1 begins with Brest, followed by two more league fixtures as they aim to secure the title ahead of their trip to Budapest.

For now, though, the message from the top is clear: Enrique has changed the mood around the club, and PSG believe they’re finally playing like a team built for nights like this.

Whether that translates into lifting the trophy is another question entirely.