Arteta’s Arsenal: Focus on the Pitch, Not the Noise
As the clock ticks down to the much-anticipated Champions League quarterfinal clash, Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, has a clear message for his team: ignore the noise and focus on the game. The Gunners are heading to the Bernabéu with a solid 3-0 lead from the first leg, aiming to secure their first semifinal spot in the competition since 2009. But standing in their way is the formidable Real Madrid, a team with a rich history of dramatic comebacks.
Real Madrid, the 15-time winners of the Champions League, are no strangers to turning the tables in seemingly lost situations. However, they have only managed to overturn a three-goal deficit in a European tie once, during their 1975-76 European Cup campaign against Derby County. This historical context adds an intriguing layer to the upcoming match.
Madrid’s midfielder, Jude Bellingham, has already set the stage for a potential comeback, describing the situation as “a night made for Real Madrid”. He mentioned that the word remontada—Spanish for “comeback”—has been buzzing around the Spanish capital, fueling hopes of a revival.
Arteta, however, is keen on instilling a different mindset in his players. “We have tried to repeat the opposite message,” he said. “So in the brains of the players, what they have here in the last 72 hours is something completely different. We are very close to them and hopefully that’s more powerful than anything else.”
Arsenal’s resilience is noteworthy. The team has not lost a game by a three-goal margin for almost two years. In the history of the Champions League, only four teams have managed to recover from such a deficit out of 47 occasions. Arteta emphasized the importance of proving their mettle in this context, stating, “We have to prove it now in this context and that’s the beauty of it. That’s the challenge and that’s the great thing about sports.”
He further elaborated on the three main aspects of the game: physical, technical and tactical, and emotional. “That emotional aspect is very significant because I have a lot of reassurance for what the team has done all season, in a positive context and in a very difficult context,” Arteta noted. “So, [we need] to prepare to a semifinal like this and to be convinced that we can handle any situation and we’re going to enjoy actually playing any kind of game that we have to be thrown tomorrow.”
Arsenal’s goalkeeper, David Raya, echoed Arteta’s sentiments, insisting that the team should not merely defend their advantage. “The intention is to win the game. We know how we played in the first game and we have to do the same. We know we have a lead, but we come here just to win the game,” he said. “We are here just to write our own history. Winning the game and going through to the semifinals is what we want to achieve tomorrow.”
- Arsenal’s last semifinal appearance in the Champions League was in 2009.
- Real Madrid has only overturned a three-goal deficit once in European competition history.
- Arsenal has not lost by a three-goal margin in nearly two years.
In terms of team news, Ben White and Thomas Partey have shaken off minor issues and are fit for the game after training with the squad earlier on Tuesday. However, Jorginho will miss out.
As the Gunners prepare to step onto the hallowed turf of the Bernabéu, the focus remains on maintaining composure and executing their game plan. The stage is set for a thrilling encounter, and Arsenal is determined to make their mark in the annals of Champions League history.
Originally Written by: James Olley
