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Mikel Arteta is relishing the prospect of their encounter with Bayern Munich, as the Arsenal boss addressed the media ahead of the European clash in Germany.
Mikel Arteta is relishing the prospect of their encounter with Bayern Munich, as the Arsenal boss addressed the media ahead of the European clash in Germany.
Arsenal have made a perfect start to their Champions League campaign with two wins on the board as they beat Lille at home last time out after turning up the intensity in the second half to score three without reply.
But a new test awaits them in Europe at the Allianz Arena against the Bundesliga Champions with quality across their squad and a Vincent Kompany side expected to go far in the competition.
“I’m really looking forward to the game,” Arteta said on the prospect of going away to Munich and winning. “This is the stage, this is the kind of team, this is the kind of coach, this is the kind of club, the stadium that you want to be involved in. So we have prepared the game with lots of enthusiasm and really thrive to come here and win the game tomorrow.”
The Gunners were a penalty away from winning Europe’s greatest honour last season and are now prepared to give everything to achieve it, especially getting their first taste of a major honour with their Premier League triumph.
On using the summer to get over the Champions League final loss and going again, the Spaniard said: “I tried, but I haven’t managed!
“I tried for many weeks in the summer, even today. And when I see the ball, when I see the music, when I see the scenes, I want it so badly. We know that we have to go step by step, but I think that fire is within the team and all of us individually because we know what we have to go through. By a penalty we’re not champions of Europe, so let’s try again.”
As Champions of England, he also addressed the extra scrutiny that comes with winning: “This is for every team! If you analyse the top teams in England, I don’t care what they are talking about, but they all have a list.
“We all have a list because none of us are perfect. Thank God that we are not perfect, thank God we can still improve, even though we have won the games we have won, because otherwise, the next day, what do you do? You just expect to be better than the opponent and that’s it. And especially in the Premier League, we know that’s very far from the reality.”