Luis Enrique reveals nickname for Mikel Arteta after PSG set up Arsenal Champions League final

Luis Enrique anticipates a stern examination when Paris Saint-Germain face Arsenal in the Champions League final, though the PSG manager remains bullish about his side's chances against his old friend Mikel Arteta.

Speaking after Wednesday night's semi-final triumph over Bayern Munich, Enrique expressed warm feelings towards his former Barcelona teammate, while also affectionally dubbing him 'Mikelito'.

"I appreciate Mikelito Arteta!" the Spaniard declared.

"We used to be team-mates when we were kids, he did a great job at Arsenal.

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"It will be a difficult, hard game but we believe in our football style."

The defending champions booked their return to European football's grandest occasion following a 1-1 draw in Germany, which proved sufficient to edge past Bayern 6-5 on aggregate after an extraordinary nine-goal first leg in Paris ended 5-4 to the French side.

Their opponents were confirmed the previous evening when Bukayo Saka's strike shortly before half-time proved decisive against Atletico Madrid, giving Arsenal a 1-0 victory on the night and a 2-1 aggregate success following a contentious opening leg in Spain.

The two clubs will meet at Budapest's Puskas Arena on May 30 for what promises to be a compelling showdown.

The forthcoming final represents a reunion of sorts for two managers whose relationship stretches back decades to their time together at Camp Nou during the late 1990s, and they have maintained contact ever since.

Ahead of last season's Champions League semi-final between the clubs, Arteta spoke extensively about his admiration for Enrique, crediting the now-PSG boss with supporting him during his formative years at Barcelona.

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"For me, he's one of the best coaches in the world and someone who helped me a huge amount," Arteta said at the time.

"I have the utmost respect both for how he is as a person and his way of working."

Enrique's confidence stems from PSG's commitment to an attacking philosophy, one that served them well in last season's encounter between these sides at the semi-final stage.

On that occasion, the Ligue 1 champions prevailed 3-1 over two legs, securing a 1-0 victory in north London before a nervy 2-1 win at home completed the job.

PSG subsequently claimed their inaugural Champions League crown in emphatic fashion, dismantling Inter Milan 5-0 in the Munich final.

The Spaniard clearly holds Arteta in high regard, with the Arsenal manager having previously described Enrique as possessing an "unbelievable personality".

PSG are bidding to become the first team since Real Madrid to retain Europe's top-tier club competition.

Los Blancos previously won it three years on the spin between 2016 and 2018 under the guidance of Zinedine Zidane.

How the big event at the end of the month plays out remains to be seen.

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