Gary Neville has declared that Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique is on the verge of becoming a 'God-like manager' if he leads the French club to a second consecutive Champions League title. PSG are aiming to become only the second team in the Champions League era to retain the trophy, with Arsenal standing in their way in the final later this month.
PSG's Dominant Run
The Parisians have been electric during the knockout stages, dismantling Inter Milan 5-0 in last year's final to claim their first European title. They have since overcome Liverpool and Bayern Munich to reach the final once again. Enrique now has the chance to join an exclusive group of managers who have won the European Cup back-to-back. Zinedine Zidane is the only man to achieve this feat in the last 35 years, with the likes of Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, and Sir Alex Ferguson failing to do so.
Speaking on his podcast, Neville said: 'It feels like the moment for PSG to win it back-to-back and for Luis Enrique to put himself up there with the God-like managers who have done this.'
Arsenal's Challenge
Neville acknowledged the difficulty Arsenal face, stating: 'In the Champions League final, they need to think about their defensive ability and strength and how they can over 90 minutes beat a team who are better than them. Because PSG are better than them, you can't get away from that. PSG are a better team than Arsenal right now and they've demonstrated that over the last two seasons.'
For Mikel Arteta, winning the Champions League would be a monumental achievement, especially after securing Arsenal's first Premier League title in 22 years. Neville added: 'Winning the Premier League for the first time in 22 years is huge, but getting the Champions League as well would be incredible. It feels like the right moment for Arsenal to win the Premier League, it doesn't quite feel like the right moment for them to win the Champions League.'
PSG, like Arsenal, are hoping a European Cup success can form part of an impressive double alongside their league title. Previous managers to achieve back-to-back European triumphs include Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest and Bob Paisley at Liverpool.
