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Martin Odegaard has acknowledged that Arsenal will continue facing criticism until the club finally ends its nearly-men reputation, but the captain remains confident the Gunners are ready to deliver silverware this season.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday night’s Champions League semi-final first leg at Atletico Madrid, Odegaard cut a convincing figure as he insisted his teammates were prepared to respond to past disappointments and make history at the Metropolitano Stadium.
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The Norwegian midfielder was clearly thinking about last season’s Champions League semi-final exit to Paris Saint-Germain, as well as the club’s three consecutive Premier League runners-up finishes. With Arsenal currently top of the table and chasing their first league title since 2004, the pressure is mounting.
“It’s always going to be there until we win and that’s something you have to live with,” Odegaard said. “We need to take all our experiences and the lessons and use them in a good way. It’s part of football and part of the journey.”
Weather concerns loom large
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The match faces potential disruption with a weather warning in place for Madrid, forecasting electrical storms and heavy rain. The Metropolitano pitch has already attracted criticism this season, with Barcelona complaining about excessively long grass after their quarter-final exit, while Tottenham players visibly struggled with their footing during their last-16 defeat.
Mikel Arteta promised his squad would “adapt to any context” despite the challenging conditions expected.
Team news updates
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The Arsenal manager confirmed that Kai Havertz remains unavailable after limping out of Saturday’s league victory over Newcastle. However, Eberechi Eze has traveled with the squad despite fitness concerns from the same match, while Riccardo Calafiori has also made the trip to Spain.
Odegaard emphasized the significance of the opportunity facing Arsenal, highlighting the club’s progression during his time in north London.
“Tomorrow against Atletico is another great opportunity for us to do something special,” he continued. “We’re in a great position to make history and that’s what we want to do. I’ve been in this club for a while now and I’ve seen the progression since I first came and how much we’ve improved.”
Arteta echoed his captain’s confidence, promising an aggressive approach from the outset. “We’re going to see a team that wants to be dominant, that wants to win it and that wants to start to decide the tie tomorrow,” the manager stated.
“Now is the moment to make a statement and show how good we are, how much we want it and to make it happen. The opportunity is in front of us and we have to attack it.”
Arsenal face a crucial test against Diego Simeone’s resilient Atletico side as they look to reach their first Champions League final in nearly two decades.