By Martin Graham | 18th Apr 2024
Following Arsenal’s elimination from the Champions League by Bayern Munich, Mikel Arteta expressed his commitment to providing support and care to his team. A 1-0 defeat in Germany, courtesy of Joshua Kimmich’s second-half header, sealed Arsenal’s fate with a 3-2 aggregate loss in the quarter-final.
Arteta, grappling with the emotional aftermath of the defeat, acknowledged the challenge of finding the right words to console his players. He emphasized the importance of standing united with the team during difficult times, reaffirming his gratitude for the opportunity to lead them.
“I wish I had the right words to say to the players to make them feel better,” Arteta stated. “What I am going to do – and all the coaching staff too – is to be close to the players.”
Acceptance of inexperience and learning
Reflecting on Arsenal’s Champions League journey, Arteta conceded to the team’s lack of recent experience at this stage of the competition. Their quarter-final appearance marked their first since 2010, highlighting their unfamiliarity with the demands of the latter stages of the tournament.
“We haven’t played this competition for seven years and we haven’t been in this stage for 14 years,” Arteta admitted. “There’s a reason for it.”
Despite the setback, Arteta remained optimistic about Arsenal’s potential, stressing the importance of patience and learning from the experience. He acknowledged the historical timelines of other clubs’ journeys to Champions League success, emphasizing the need for gradual progress and development.
“When you look historically, it took other clubs seven, eight or 10 years to do it. Today, that’s not going to make us feel better that’s for sure,” Arteta remarked.
Turning focus to Premier League redemption
With their Champions League campaign concluded, Arsenal redirected their focus to the Premier League title race. Arteta emphasized the importance of regrouping and bouncing back ahead of their upcoming fixtures, including a crucial match against Wolves.
“We are still playing for the Premier League. The Premier League is there and we really want it,” Arteta asserted. “We have to show now that we are capable of turning this around.” He reiterated the team’s determination to compete at the highest level domestically and their commitment to pursuing league success.
Martin Graham is an MFF sports writer
