Mikel Arteta has said he wants to change Arsenal’s European fortunes and finally lead them to a Champions League title, with their semi-final last season providing the proof they are good enough and the pain that could push them a step further.
Defeat against the eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain was Arsenal’s third semi-final and the coach insisted that, while they have to “start from scratch” against Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés, lessons had been learned. That was addressed with the £250m spent on strengthening the squad this summer; now the test comes on the pitch as they embark on their 23rd season in the competition.
When it was put to Arteta that Arsenal may be the biggest club never to have won the competition, he said: “That with our long history [we haven’t won it] tells you how difficult it is. That’s the history of our club and that’s what we want to change.
“The pressure is the opportunity that drives us, that gives us energy, and every decision has to be up to those standards and those expectations so that we have our best chance. It is that in that moment [of defeat] that you get deflated and have to understand what you have to do to get back in the same position.
“It is painful: not just in how we feel but [because of] the expectation we created and the real conviction that we could go all the way because we showed a very high level of consistency and quality. So we have to learn from that and try to get better.”
Asked what the main lesson had been, Arteta said: “That we are good enough and can compete against any opposition on the day. Then two or three things have to go your way. You need your full squad in key moments. The margins are so small. We were training with eight or nine key players and going into games with 13. It is very difficult but we gave ourselves an unbelievable chance and we were very unlucky not to get through.
“But it’s not that simple. You are so willing and you want to do better. There is a very clear intention with us to get better every day – that is the start and the end [point]. We have the understanding that we can compete against everyone. [We have spent but] like the rest of the teams have done and continue to do – and they have won it.
“Winning it is the aim at the beginning but we know it is a long journey and the margins are fine. The big clubs try seven, eight, nine times and win two. There’s only going to be one winner and you lose more than you win.”
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Arteta also has revealed that Bukayo Saka still has “a lot of things to go through” before he is ready to return from the hamstring injury he sustained in August, while the captain, Martin Ødegaard, will miss the match in Spain after he injured his shoulder in Arsenal’s win against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. William Saliba is back from injury and available to play.
