By ISAAN KHAN, REPORTER
Published: 11:43 EDT, 14 April 2026 | Updated: 11:44 EDT, 14 April 2026
Mikel Arteta demanded his Arsenal players play with ‘no fear’ and ‘pure fire’ as they look to capitalise on the biggest opportunity to win a major trophy across his six-and-a-half year reign.
The Gunners’ season is threatening to fall flat after they lost the Carabao Cup final to Man City, were knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship side Southampton and lost at home to Bournemouth on Saturday to deal a major blow to their Premier League title hopes.
It leaves the north London club slowly staring at the possibility of a sixth consecutive season without a trophy.
But ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Sporting Lisbon, where they hold a 1-0 advantage from the first leg, Arteta delivered an impassioned plea to his players.
‘No fear. Pure fire. That's it,’ said the Spaniard. ‘I'm on fire. I'm on fire! That's it, nothing else. I'm dreaming so much.
‘That's what I want to see on the players, on the people, on myself. That's it. Go for it because the opportunity is unbelievable.
Mikel Arteta says he is 'on fire' with ambition ahead of Arsenal's clash with Sporting Lisbon
‘We are in April, we have an incredible opportunity ahead of us. Let's confront it, let's go for it by really putting absolutely everything into it.
‘(It is) The biggest opportunity of six and a half years.’
Arteta has a number of injury concerns ahead of tonight with Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard, Riccardo Calafiori all missing open training today.
The Arsenal boss, though, hinted some of those players will be available to help see his side over the line against the Portuguese giants.
On whether Saka or Timber will be available, he said: ‘Maybe one of them, let's see.’