**Arsenal**are gunning for their second win in a row to start the season against Leeds United. Title charges typically rely on strong home form as a foundation for success, and the **Emirates Stadium**is an emotional fortress for Mikel Arteta, who has "missed the supporters" and a special "connection."
‘We have certainly missed our supporters’
This fixture is the first of 19 on the list for the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League. The team played against **Villarreal**and Athletic Club in front of their fans earlier this month, and it always makes the manager happy to see the bond between his group and the fans.
"It’s always very special. I think everybody is very excited for the first game, it builds a different energy around the stadium. I’m sure they have missed them; I’m sure they have missed the team.”
In the last three seasons that the side have finished in second spot, they have made good starts at their stadium. A scintillating show with a 4-2 win over Leicester City set the tone in August 2022, then came a 2-1 victory against Nottingham Forest in 2023, and a 2-0 triumph over **Wolves**a year ago.
The boss believes that everyone will be eager to hit the ground running in North London tomorrow.
“We have certainly missed our supporters and that connection. Tomorrow, I’m sure from the first whistle, I think everybody is going to be at it and we’re going to have a good game."
The targets are clear for **Arsenal**this campaign. The club have not won the Premier League title since 2004 and their last major honour was the **FA Cup**in 2020. Arteta has taken the club to this stage, and he has to embrace the challenge to take the final step towards the top titles in the game.
“We are showing the ambition that we want to do. We are here to win major trophies, to keep evolving and improving every single year. That's going to come with demands and those demands are clear.”
‘I’m really happy with Leo’
It has helped that **Arsenal**acquired summer signings quickly. By the end of July, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyökeres, and Martin Zubimendi, on top of Christian Norgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Cristhian Mosquera as defensive depth. Even **Eberechi Eze**looks like he is about to join the team.
The Spaniard spoke more about how he has experienced the working relationship with Andrea Berta.
“With Andrea now, again, as I expected, is someone who is extremely professional and very thorough, very determined, and brings something different to the table as well. I enjoy working with him a lot.”
He has been in charge of the club since the end of 2019 and managed to take the standards of the side much higher than they were when he arrived. How does he stir up the fire to finish the task at hand?
“The motivation for me is how can we be better? How can we continue to evolve, win more football matches with bigger margins? How can we bring people that we have closer to us, more connected?”
Fresh faces always bring new energy into the camp, and the 43-hear-old hopes that the arrivals can dispel the feeling of stagnation that started to hang over the squad at the end of the previous season.
“I think the players that we already have are incredible, the ones that we already signed, I think they are players that are going to connect with our people and make them proud and excited.”
It is also important that the existing strength of the squad remains to succeed. Leandro Trossard has also agreed on a pay rise to his contract that runs out in 2027. The Belgian has been an expert super sub for the squad since he arrived in January 2023, reaching a resolution that all parties wanted.
“I prefer not to because it's not my duty. I'm really happy with Leo. That situation has been resolved in a really great way and I think he deserves our recognition.
"We are really happy to have him. That might be speculation. Good players always have options to go. Leo was clear from the beginning that he wanted to be here. The club was very clear they wanted Leo here, I was clear I wanted him.”