Gearing up for a hugely important Champions League game against Atletico Madrid at the Emirates, Mikel Arteta spoke to the media and discussed how the team was feeling, training and on the challenge playing Diego Simeoneโs side.
Arteta pointed to mentality, tactical adaptability, keeping the focus and the lessons learned from previous European matches as the reasons behind their success in Europe so far on top of team news and psychological preparations, with Arsenal unbeaten in the group stages.
Squad Updates and Mental Readiness
Throughoutโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ the time, he only alluded to winning vs fulham and kept going on how its important to get back into rhythm after internationals. He said the team started slowly in the first few minutes but performed well overall. โIt was a win we needed to get,โ he added, noting that the team still must work ahead of the Champions League contest.
The Gunners’ manager announced that after a sore absence in the match against Fulham, the defender Piero Hincapie will be back on the field. โHe has had two great training sessions and is good to go,โ declared Arteta. The coach also commended the players for their eagerness, especially William Saliba, who right after the Fulham victory had already started studying Atletico. โIt gives you the idea of how much they want it,โ he pointed out, praising not only their professionalism but also their ambition to keep developing.
He further expressed the intensity in training is at its highest and even the subs are working extra hard to get into the starting line-up. The pressure, Arteta said, has created a competitive but not toxic environment, and that ambition could be the difference in big European contests.
Facing Simeone and Tactical Insights
Arteta could not stop singing Diego Simeone’s praises and even went to the point of calling him โoutstandingโ for being able to keep Atletico’s identity unchanged for more than 14 years. Besides that, he mentioned the things the Argentine had in his characters such as being passionate, disciplined and, most of all, the ability to motivate players year after year. โYou must be exceptional to convince players for that long,โ Arteta said.
When asked if he takes a leaf from Simeoneโs book regarding longevity, the Spaniard replied that his philosophy stems from his personal experiences and his understanding of Arsenalโs culture. He also said that newly appointed coach Gabriel Heinze brings “energy and a winning mentality” to the backline, and described the effect as “extraordinary.”
Arteta argued against the notion of Premier League favoritism to which the answer would be consistency over the next 30 games. โBut itโs still so early,โ he cautioned, saying that the focus should be on performance, not prediction. He also indicated that Arsenalโs tactical flexibility will be important โ they have worked on a range of in-game shapes to deal with Atleticoโs pressing, and quick transition.
Authorโs Opinion
Artetaโs meeting with the media was an embodiment of his quiet but steely working attitude. He knows that Simeoneโs decision has been to offer this stability at Atletico over many years, and compares it to his own Arsenal project which suggests, by now, more recoverability without the ball, more tactical savvy. As key players come back and confidence grows, Arsenal appear to be ready for whatever Europe throws at them.
The Gunnersโ growing maturity under pressure, combined with Artetaโs evolving tactical mind, might finally signal a side that can go beyond just promising performances and deliver statement victories on Europeโs grandest stage. In the case that Artetaโs mixture of strictness and inventive flair does not waver, the Gunners can make a notable stride in their Champions League โโโโโโโโโโjourney.
