Barça reunion in Budapest: Luis Enrique and Mikel Arteta go way back: “I met him when I was 16 and at Barcelona”

There are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s Champions League final in Budapest, earlier than normal. Arsenal are chasing a historic double after securing the English Premier League, while also looking to be European kings for the first ever time. Paris Saint-Germain, on the other hand, are trying to retain the crown after ending years of failed attempts one year ago.

But one of the most intriguing threads, at least off the pitch, is the friendship between the two respective head coaches, Mikel Arteta and Luis Enrique, a relationship that dates back to Barcelona at the turn of the century.

Arteta and Luis Enrique: a story of respect and admiration

Arteta was just a teenager when he first crossed paths with the future PSG boss. Looking ahead to the final, the Arsenal manager spoke to UEFA and recalled meeting Luis Enrique while training with Barcelona’s first team.

“I met him when I was 16 and I was at Barcelona training with the first team,” Arteta said. “He was somebody incredibly caring towards the young academy players, really supportive and someone that I admired.”

More than 25 years later, the two Spaniards now lead their teams into the biggest club game in European soccer. Let’s be honest, world soccer.

Arteta’s admiration has not faded. He described Luis Enrique as “someone very special” and praised his conviction, calling his ability to stick to his ideas regardless of outside opinion a “superpower.”

And, neatly, the respect goes both ways.

Luis Enrique also sat down with the governing body and remembers a youthful Arteta as an “exceptional young guy, hardworking, with character and with quality” during their brief overlap at Barcelona before Arteta moved on to – you’ll never guess – Paris Saint-Germain on loan.

Their friendship has survived despite busy careers and limited contact.

“Whenever I see Mikel Arteta, he always brings positivity to my life,” Luis Enrique said, adding that football friendships do not require constant calls or messages to remain strong.

That warmth will be put on hold for 90 minutes, or perhaps longer, in Budapest.

As Arteta put it, there is admiration and respect between them, but when the whistle blows, “you just have to compete and win it.”

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