After touching down in Spain,Mikel Arteta gave a pre-Atletico Madrid press conference.
Ahead of Arsenal’s semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid, Mikel Arteta was quizzed by the media at a press conference. When asked what he expected from the match, he said: “A really tough match. They’re a team that has so much experience in the competition, that have every right to be here, because what they've done is remarkable. We know the difficulty of the match, but I think we have shown in Europe, in any ground, what we are capable of.
“We've been very consistent, and tomorrow we have to play with that confidence, with that desire and that will, to come here to win the game.”
Arteta was also questioned about what Arsenal need to do against Atletico Madrid and he said: “Every opponent and in every context, whether it's the stadium, the opponent, the manner that they play, have differences. There are things that obviously have to be highlighted, whether it’s their strengths or their weaknesses as well, and especially against [Atleti], there are moments in games and we have to manage that so well to be successful and win the game.”
Atletico Madrid Vs Arsenal: Injury updates, could the weather delay the match as storms are expected? Arsenal's coach Mikel Arteta speaks during a press conference on the eve of the UEFA Champions League semi final first leg football match against Club Atletico de Madrid at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on April 28, 2026. (Photo by Javier SORIANO / AFP via Getty Images)placeholder image
Atletico Madrid Vs Arsenal: Injury updates, could the weather delay the match as storms are expected? Arsenal's coach Mikel Arteta speaks during a press conference on the eve of the UEFA Champions League semi final first leg football match against Club Atletico de Madrid at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on April 28, 2026. (Photo by Javier SORIANO / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Arteta was also asked about adverse weather conditions affecting the game and he said: “We adapt to any context, and for the last nine months, imagine the amount of games that we have played in different scenarios, different contexts, different opponents. So, we’ll adapt to the conditions tomorrow in the best possible way to be ourselves and win the game.”
The X account for Atletico Universe wrote: “Heavy rain and strong storms are expected in Madrid, which could affect the UCL match against Arsenal tomorrow.
“A weather alert has been issued due to the forecast conditions. Authorities are urging maximum caution, advising fans heading to the stadium to use public transport whenever possible and to plan their journey well in advance to avoid last-minute issues.
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When it came to injury updates, Arteta said: “Kai is out, and Ebz is ready to go.” He was also asked about Riccardo Calafiori and Bukayo Saka's availability and in response, he said: “[Riccardo] is available tomorrow.”
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