Mikel Arteta has underlined the importance of momentum and mentality as Arsenal prepare for the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final clash against Chelsea tomorrow night at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking to the press via Arsenal’s official X handle, the Gunners boss stressed how fixtures of this magnitude bring a different level of focus and energy to the squad, with a place at Wembley firmly in sight. Arteta also acknowledged the size of the task ahead, describing Chelsea as a tough opponent, especially on their home turf.
Softfootball understands that the two London rivals are no strangers this season, having already met in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge earlier in the campaign a closely contested encounter that ended in a 1-1 draw. Mikel Arteta said:
Well, the more you are involved in these kind of games, the better, because it gives you a nudge. It brings the team a different kind of energy and it gives you the sense that the objective is very close. That’s a massive motivation for everybody.
So we know that we are two games away from playing in a final. We have to go game-by-game and the first one is at Stamford Bridge, and we know that we have a really tough opponent in front of us.
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With the first leg set to be played under the lights at the Bridge, Arsenal will be looking to put themselves in a strong position ahead of the return fixture, knowing that fine margins often decide semi-final ties.
