Fresh from a commanding 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, Arsenal have turned their attention to Europe as they prepare for their Champions League opener away at Athletic Club. The Gunners landed in Bilbao on Monday afternoon and were met by a vibrant atmosphere at San Mamés, with Mikel Arteta fronting the pre-match press conference soon after.
Arsenal arrive in Spain with a chip on their shoulders but also a number of injury concern,with key players like Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Ben White are all unavailable, leaving Arteta with team selections headache ahead of a demanding tournament.
Still, the Spaniard struck a tone of excitement and optimism as he addressed the press via the team’s official website, eager to begin another European journey with his side. he had this to say;
On the feeling in the camp ahead of the new campaign, Arteta said:
We’re excited to start again from scratch in a beautiful place, in a stadium that is going to generate something special. We’re looking forward to that and I’m very excited again to step by step build some momentum, and start to have some wins.
The Arsenal boss also discussed the evolution of the game and the growing importance of set-pieces, he said:
“t’s the evolution of the game. The game is faster, the spaces are smaller and everybody is trying to take advantage of other aspects of the game that are obviously key to winning football matches. In the end, you have to dominate everything nowadays in football to give yourself the best chance to win the games.
On his return to the Basque Country, where his roots are in nearby San Sebastián, Arteta acknowledged the passion surrounding the fixture,he said:
Yes, of course. We landed in Bilbao, that’s normally where I land when I go back home to San Sebastian, it’s an hour’s drive from there. All my family is from there, and you just sense the passion, the rivalry, the football atmosphere. It’s great to be here – I’ve never been in this stadium before, so it’s a good experience.
Asked about the challenge of rotation, Arteta admitted his options are limited by injuries but stressed the importance of competition within the squad, he stated:
It will depend on the availability of the squad and the form of the players. Unfortunately, we have a few players already out, so that is already limited in certain positions. But hopefully we’ve come to the point where the competition and the level of performance of the players is so high that we are able to do that very efficiently to win more football matches. That’s our objective.
The Spaniard also touched on the role of Viktor Gyökeres, who has started the season brightly:
Well, let’s see it. Against Forest at the end, Mikel [Merino] played as a nine. We have Leo [Trossard] who can play there, we have other options and other formations that we can adjust to that. At the moment, Victor is doing really well, so I’m really happy with that.
Looking ahead to the campaign, Arteta was clear about Arsenal’s ambition but underlined the fine margins of the Champions League, he stated:
Yeah, like the rest of the teams, that have done the same [strengthen] and continue to do that and have won it on many occasions. That’s the aim in the beginning but we all know that it’s going to be a really long journey. The margins in this competition are super small and you have to be at your very best from day one to give yourself the best possible chance.
Reflecting on last season’s semi-final run, he added:
That we are good enough, that we can compete against any opposition on the day. And on top of that, two things have to go your way. You need to have a full squad available when it comes to the most critical moments in the season, and then the ball has to go in at the right moment or with the right decision, it has to because the margins are so small.
Despite those painful memories, Arteta insisted they serve as motivation, he stated:
Well, it is that and that moment you get deflated, you have to understand what you need to do to put yourself back in the same position and start actions that actually matter to give yourself the chance to achieve that, and that’s it. You take a lot of learnings from it. It’s painful because it’s not only what we feel, it’s about the expectation that we created and the real conviction that we had within the club, the team, that we could go all the way because we showed a very high level of consistency and quality throughout the competition and learn from it and try to be better.
Pressed on the “pressure” of never having won the competition, he reframed it as opportunity, he said:
That tells you with our long history how difficult it is because we haven’t won it yet and that’s the opportunity, that’s how I see it. The pressure is the opportunity that thrives, that energy, that willingness to be better every single day, to make decisions that are in that direction. Every decision has to be with those standards and with those expectations and let’s give us the best chance to try to do it.
Meanwhile, Arsenal shared an exclusive footage via the team’s official X handle, of the team leaving the club’s tranining ground and on their way to Bilbao, sapin where they would take on the Basque giants in this season’s UCL opener, watch below;
And finally, on whether falling short can ultimately help them cross the line, he said:
The big clubs try seven, eight, nine times and they win two. So in this competition, it’s going to be one and you’ll fail much more than you succeed. That’s the nature of that, that’s the history of our club and that’s what we want to change.
With the San Mamés set for a special European night, Arsenal know they will face an Athletic Club side backed by a passionate home crowd and eager to make their return to the Champions League count. For Arteta and his men, the journey begins again — and the expectations could not be higher.
