Mikel Arteta said his message was one of “gratitude” after Arsenal’s 0-0 draw with Sporting CP sealed a 1-0 aggregate win and a Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.
Mikel Arteta said his first message to the Arsenal dressing room was one of “gratitude” after Wednesday’s 0-0 draw with Sporting CP sent his side into the Champions League semi-finals. Kai Havertz’s late goal in Lisbon ultimately decided the tie, with Arsenal progressing 1-0 on aggregate and setting up a last-four meeting with Atletico Madrid.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Arteta said: “My message was gratitude to them. I know the effort, the commitment that they put in. So there’s a lot of work behind it.” He also made clear that qualification should not hide the standards he still expects, adding: “It's very difficult to do what we have done. We’re not perfect. We need to improve things. That’s for sure. We recognise that. But let's value what these players have done, because they deserve it.”
Even so, the Arsenal manager’s emphasis was on what his squad had managed to do in difficult circumstances. At one stage of the press conference, Arteta pointed to the physical commitment inside the group and said “every single player is putting everything through the line to contribute, to give his best”. He also framed the performance in broader terms, saying that at this stage of the season it is also about “the way you compete when you want to go and win titles”.
There was particular praise for Declan Rice after the midfielder recovered to start and complete the match. Arteta described Rice as “a great leader” and added: “He’s a top player for us.” That was one of the clearest individual endorsements of the night from the Arsenal manager, who had admitted before the game that Rice’s availability was in doubt.
Arteta was also asked about the late Sporting penalty appeal and gave a brief answer, saying: “I’ve not seen it but I don’t think it is.” He was much more expansive, though, when the discussion turned to the wider mood around Arsenal in recent days.
In one of the more striking lines of the press conference, he said: “I wish that we were doing the Arsenal documentary this season and you can film the last 48 hours and everything that has been said.” He then added: “I think all of us would say they are in the bottom three. What are we talking about guys? Please enjoy what we are as a club.”
That last point seemed to matter to Arteta as much as the result itself. He returned again to “gratitude” for both the players and the supporters, and his tone was that of a manager pushing back against the noise around his team while insisting they have earned the right to enjoy the moment. Arsenal are now into a second consecutive Champions League semi-final. Arteta’s closing message was simple enough: “Please enjoy what we are as a club.”