Champions League Final: Thierry Henry Says, “It’s Going to Be a Horrible Evening for Me”

Thierry Henry says there is a “lack of respect” toward Arsenal ahead of their decisive showdown, as the buildup to the match has increasingly framed Paris Saint-Germain as overwhelming favorites. Speaking about the occasion, Henry admitted the night will be emotionally difficult for him, since Arsenal are the club he played for and helped define at the highest level. He said he will remain professional in his media role, but the result will affect him deeply, whether Arsenal win or lose.

Henry rejected the idea that the contest should be reduced to a simple contrast between a glamorous, attack-minded PSG and a more pragmatic Arsenal. In his view, football cannot be divided so neatly into “beauty” and “beast” because different styles can succeed depending on how they are executed. He argued that some teams prefer to control the game without the ball, while others dominate by having it, and that both approaches can work at the highest level. For Henry, the debate is less about style labels and more about whether a team can impose its principles effectively.

On PSG, Henry was full of admiration but resisted comparisons with the greatest clubs in European history. He said he does not understand the obsession with naming the “best” or “biggest” team ever. What he does acknowledge is that Luis Enrique has built a side that is both attractive to watch and highly competitive in both attacking and defensive phases. He noted that PSG’s season was not always smooth, with injuries and inconsistency affecting their rhythm, but said their level when fully fit has been exceptional. In his eyes, the team’s quality and coherence deserve recognition without needing exaggerated historical rankings.

Henry also defended Mikel Arteta, who has faced criticism since taking charge of Arsenal in 2019. He said that success is rarely built overnight and pointed out that the club needed time, investment, and patience to reach its current level. According to Henry, Arteta has been given the resources to recruit the players he wanted, and now he is delivering results. Rather than focusing on silencing critics, Henry suggested that football’s judgments are based on what happens on the pitch, and that Arteta has earned credit by proving himself over time.

Reflecting on his own career, Henry described himself as shaped by both French and English football. He said his football identity began in France, including his development at Clairefontaine, before being transformed by the demands of the Premier League. That combination of technical French influence and English intensity, he argued, made him a better player and contributed to the rise of many stars who bridged both football cultures.

Finally, Henry revisited Arsenal’s painful 2-1 defeat to Barcelona in the 2006 Champions League final, when Jens Lehmann was sent off early. He said he does not dwell on regrets, believing that finals won and lost are part of football history. He acknowledged that Arsenal were forced into a difficult situation against a stronger Barcelona side, but said the past cannot be rewritten. What matters now, he added, is the hope that if Arsenal finally win the Champions League, they will be remembered forever as “the unforgettables.”