The Spanish coaching school continues to collect merits to be recognized as the best of Europa. Up to eight national technicians started distributed among the 36 benches of this edition of the Champions. No other country has had greater representation… and two of ours, like Luis Enrique and Mikel Artetawill meet at the summit of Budapest next May 30 at the orders of PSG and Arsenalrespectively.
“I have a lot of affection for him because we were teammates in the Barcelona when he was very young. Surely it will be very difficult, but we have a lot of confidence in our way of playing,” he pointed out. Luis Enrique after the tie against Bayern on a Mikel Arteta who recognized that “whoever it is, it will be very difficult, but we are prepared.”
It is not at all very common for two coaches of the same nationality to face each other in the final of the Champions. In fact, it had only happened on one occasion before… and all during this century. In 2003, Ancelotti and Lippi were measured with Milan and Juventus. In 2013, Bayern and Dortmund They had in the technical area Heynckes y Klopp. Already in 2020, Flick and Tuchel they did it by directing Bayern and PSG.
It is still curious that the only one who did not coach a team from his country was Thomas Tuchel with the PSG. For this reason, it is so commendable that the first Champions League final between two Spanish coaches is going to be in charge of two teams located outside our borders. Luis Enrique in the case of PSG y Mikel Arteta in the Arsenal.
What is certain is that the Spanish benches will add a new ‘Orejona’ to our private showcases. Previously, only six national coaches had raised the 11 Champions Leagues with a national seal. After José Villalonga (2), Miguel Muñoz (2) and Vicente del Bosque (2)all leading the Real Madrid, Rafa Benitez He was the first to achieve it with a foreign club (Liverpool) back in 2005.
Spanish coaches who have won the Champions League:
- José Villalonga (2): Real Madrid
- Miguel Muñoz (2): Real Madrid
- Vicente del Bosque (2): Real Madrid
- Rafa Benitez: Liverpool
- Pep Guardiola (3): Barcelona y Manchester City
- Luis Enrique (2): Barcelona and PSG
To the deed of Benitez They joined him later, after having achieved it in the first instance with Barcelona, Pep Guardiola at the command of the Manchester City in 2023 and his own Luis Enrique commanding the PSG last year. The next one who could join this prestigious list of Spanish coaches who have raised the Champions could be Mikel Arteta in front of the Arsenal.
The narrative of both is each more powerful. In the case of Luis Enriquewould mean equaling Pep Guardiola —recently surpassed him as the earliest to reach 50 victories— as the Spanish coach with the most Champions of history with a total of three. Furthermore, it would abolish the ‘monopoly’ of Real Madrid as the only team capable of winning two consecutive editions under the format of Champions League.
Champions League table.
“Luis Enrique It’s my best decision. I talked for the last 15 years to sign him. He is a fantastic coach, the best in the world. But also, as a person, it’s amazing how he handles day to day life. Not only to the players, but also to the media, which is sometimes not easy in France. But he is fantastic,” he noted. Nasser Al-Khelaifi after the meeting.
Mikel Artetafor his part, is called to ‘unseal’ the first ‘Orejona’ by one Arsenal whom he has guided to his second final of the Champions two decades later. In this way, it would be the fourth team to debut its record in the competition so far this century: Chelsea (2012), Manchester City (2023) and PSG (2025). coincidences of life, Guardiola and Luis Enrique have been involved in two of these successes.
Luis Enrique is my best decision. I talked for the last 15 years to sign him
Both have done PSG and Arsenalquite possibly, the two most stable projects of Europa at this moment… being the two great leaders of their respective projects. Each one in their own way: Luis Enrique —only coach to have played in the last three semifinals of the Champions— being successful practically from the moment he set foot in Princes Park; Arteta rebuilding the foundations of a club that, until last season, had not reached a semi-final Champions since 2009.
“It was difficult to imagine because when I arrived we were hardly even in Europa and we had not competed in seven years Champions. It’s a very big jump. But everything has been consolidated little by little,” the Gunner coach highlighted after consummating the elimination of the Atlético de Madrid in semi-finals.
It was difficult to imagine because when I arrived we were hardly even in Europe and we had not competed in the Champions League for seven years.
As far as this edition is concerned, their path has been tremendously uneven. He PSG He once again encountered a fierce league phase that made him go through the playoffs once again. He came to stagger. But the first time came, the team went from less to more and they have reached a new final, being an even more rounded team and with the draws that having been champion gives you. He has a shot, in fact, of surpassing the 45 goals of the Barcelona (99-00) as the highest scoring team in the same campaign.
Mikel Artetafor its part, aspires to crown a champion as Arsenal which, however, operates as if it were due to its obsession with controlling every detail to the millimeter. They finished the league phase with full points, remain undefeated in the 14 games they have played to date and have only conceded six goals in the entire tournament. In short, it has fortified a rock that, although it may be liked more or less, is taking competitiveness to the limit.
Luis Enrique and Mikel Arteta greet each other at the Emirates
Champion against challenger. This is how the final of the Champions that comes ahead between PSG y Arsenal… con Luis Enrique and Mikel Arteta like more visible faces, that will row from the Sena and the Thames to the shores of the Danube in search of the 12th for Spain. Whatever happens, national football knows that it will declare victory on May 30.
