ARSENAL manager Mikel Arteta stated that his team’s painful Champions League semi-final defeat last season will significantly benefit their current campaign.
Arteta explained that the experience against eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain provided crucial lessons ahead of their group stage opener against Athletic Bilbao.
“You take a lot of learnings from it—it’s painful because of the expectation we created and the real conviction that we could go all the way,“ Arteta told reporters at San Mames.
The Spanish coach emphasised that Arsenal demonstrated high levels of consistency and quality throughout the competition despite their eventual elimination.
Arteta acknowledged that multiple factors must align perfectly to win Europe’s premier club competition.
“(We learned) we are good enough, that we can compete against any opposition on the day and that things have to go your way,“ he continued.
The manager highlighted the importance of having a full squad available during critical moments and receiving favourable decisions in tight matches.
Arsenal will be without several key players including Gabriel Saliba, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Ben White, and Bukayo Saka for their opening match.
Arteta’s decision to sign goalkeeper David Raya in 2023 initially attracted criticism when he replaced Aaron Ramsdale as first choice.
Raya has since established himself as one of Europe’s top goalkeepers with 42 clean sheets in 100 appearances for the club.
“When I came to Arsenal there was a lot of noise, a lot of talk, and it was understandable,“ Raya admitted.
The Spanish goalkeeper revealed he focused on controlling only what he could influence while ignoring external criticism.
Raya expressed strong belief that Arsenal possess the quality to win their first Champions League trophy this season.
“We have belief, we want to win, we are Arsenal and we play to win,“ he added.
The goalkeeper cautioned that achieving Champions League success requires navigating a long and challenging journey through both European and domestic competitions. – AFP