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• Spain coach Denia out to cap glittering 2024 with Olympic gold

  Santi Denia views Friday's Olympic gold medal match versus France as an opportunity for Spain to underline their status as European football's finest. 

  La Roja have enjoyed a terrific 2024 to date, with the country's senior and under-19 sides both claiming European Championship titles last month.

  Those successes came on the heels of Luis de la Fuente leading the senior team to UEFA Nations League success in 2023, and his men overcame heavyweights Croatia, Italy, Germany, France and England on their impressive run to Euro 2024 glory.

  Olympic hosts France lie in wait in Friday's gold medal match at the Parc des Princes, where Denia is backing his team to bring more pride to their country.

  "We are delighted that we are a benchmark in Europe and the world, it is a job that has been done for years," Denia said at Thursday's pre-match press conference.

  "We have improved and continued to work, believing in a model of play and a profile of players that represent us.

  "If we have been waiting for the gold medal for so many years, it is a challenge and an additional excitement."

  Spain's only previous gold medal at the Olympics came on home soil at Barcelona 1992, when a team featuring the likes of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique beat Poland 3-2 in a thrilling final.

  Captain Abel Ruiz, who joined Girona in June, is keen to follow in the footsteps of that legendary side.

  "We are motivated, we know that the gold is something very important for the country and for us," he said.

  "It is something that could be historic and for which we have fought hard, we have been in the training camp for 40 days and it is a lot of effort. We are really looking forward to the final."

• France's Olympic journey a 'success', says Henry ahead of Spain final

  Thierry Henry believes France's journey to the Olympics final has been a success, whether they finish with a gold or silver medal against Spain in Paris. 

  Henry has led France to a first final at the Games since their win against Brazil in 1984, a time when he was preparing for his first senior season with Monaco's reserves.

  Les Bleus entered the competition with one of the strongest teams on paper, but Henry faced a difficult task in assembling his squad.

  The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaire-Emery were refused permission to compete in the Games by their clubs. 

  However, Henry was quick to praise his group of players that have taken part in the tournament, saying his dream has already come true.

  "This event is special because (in our sport) you don't think about finishing second or third, or winning a medal," Henry said. 

  "So our story is a success - let's make it better.

  While Henry has the opportunity to add an Olympic medal to his World Cup and European Championship successes as a player, he was keen to look at the bigger picture. 

  "Did I ever think I would be part of an Olympic team? Never. I'll tell you why it's different for me," Henry said.

  "I was never with my family watching me performing. When I say performing, you understand what I mean, obviously I'm not performing on the field anymore.

  "But I never had my kids at a stadium looking at me with my team, being an 'actor', because when I had my kids I was almost at the end of my career.

  "Maybe that's what was missing."

• Arteta impressed with 'different' Jesus after Leverkusen thrashing

  Mikel Arteta has said he has seen "something different" from striker Gabriel Jesus since last season, as the Brazilian impressed against Bayer Leverkusen. 

  Jesus, who scored four goals in 27 Premier League appearances last term, was on target with a fine finish against the Bundesliga champions on Wednesday. 

  The 27-year-old failed to score in his last 10 league appearances after returning from a knee injury, with Kai Havertz starring in the number nine position in his absence. 

  However, Arteta has been impressed with Jesus' displays in pre-season, but has set his striker a challenge of becoming more consistent this year. 

  "I said from day one, the first feeling when I saw him after talking to him at the end of the season is that he was something different," Arteta said.

  "I could sense it. His energy was different, the way he looks is different, the way he’s moving is different. He really wants it.

  "Now it’s about finding that consistency and doing it in any context, against any opponent, against any formation, any day, every three days, for 90 minutes, for 30 minutes, for 70 minutes.

  "If you produce in those circumstances? It looks good."

  The encounter against Xabi Alonso's side saw the return of both Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka into the first-team fold after their Euro 2024 campaign with England. 

  But there was no sight of Jurrien Timber and new £42m signing Riccardo Calafiori, with Arteta able to explain their omission from the squad. 

  "Jurrien had a little discomfort in his foot in the last few days and obviously, after the amount of time he’s been out, we didn’t want to take any risks with him," Arteta said. 

  "In regard to Riccardo, so much happened to him in one week! He’s come into a new environment with a different methodology and different training, so we are managing him, and we want to do it slowly and in the best way possible.

  "Hopefully he will be available to play some minutes on Sunday."

  Arsenal conclude their pre-season preparations against Lyon this weekend ahead of their Premier League opener against Wolves at the Emirates six days later.