Mikel Arteta has rallied his Arsenal troops with the promise of Champions League glory, declaring: "The most exciting part is coming up now." Despite some social media scepticism suggesting Arsenal's season may fizzle out, Arteta's motivational words come as a stark contrast to their faltering title bid.
After a tense 1-1 draw with Manchester United, which saw Arteta abruptly end a Sky Sports interview when questioned about the daunting 15-point gap to leaders Liverpool, the Gunners boss has bounced back with optimism. He's looking forward to a potential quarter-final clash against either Real Madrid or Atletico, provided Arsenal can secure their hefty 7-1 lead over PSV Eindhoven from the first leg at the Emirates.
Arteta exudes confidence in Arsenal's Champions League campaign, stating: "We've done a lot in this competition and the most exciting part is still to coming up now." He emphasised the importance of completing the task in the upcoming match, saying, "That's why we have to make sure we finish the job tomorrow night to put ourselves in a great position."
Arteta believes his team is ready to face any remaining challenger in the tournament: "I have full belief that we can compete against any team left in the competition, get the best out of ourselves in every detail and define the moment to go through."
Arteta is poised to shuffle his Arsenal squad for the upcoming second leg, with stars like Ben White and Gabriel Martinelli expected to feature as they continue their return from injury spells, alongside Raheem Sterling.
Despite a resounding victory in the first leg, Arteta remains cautious, noting: "It is unique but as well we have to understand how the game was played a week ago and the fact that everything went in the right direction for us from the beginning.
"We're going to have to earn the right to go in the same direction, so we are fully focused on that."
"From the start it's a competition where we have (invested) a lot of enthusiasm, put in a lot of energy, and winning tomorrow puts us in a very good position."
Sterling, currently on loan from Chelsea, is tipped for a starting role despite a goal drought since his strike against Bolton in the League Cup six months prior. His lacklustre performance contrasts sharply with his peak years under Arteta at Manchester City.
Arteta acknowledged the swift passage of time in football and the need for Sterling to rediscover his form: "The time in football flies. Things move and change and you have to do it again. Raz has been incredibly consistent in the last 10 years for the things he has done and now it's about doing it again.
"What has changed? On a personal level, not so much. But obviously it is different because of the role that he has right now and what we demand from each other.
"What Pep [Guardiola] used to demand from him is different because now I'm the person who makes the final call."
This article first appeared on The Mirror.