Arteta Congratulates Tottenham, but Emphasizes Arsenal’s Season
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta congratulated Tottenham Hotspur on their Europa League victory on Wednesday. However, he emphasized that the success of a season should not be defined solely by winning a trophy.
Arteta’s team, currently second in the Premier League, will end the season without titles, while Tottenham, despite a less prominent domestic campaign, achieved a European triumph.
They are Europa League champions and to achieve that you have to do many things right. I think they are going through a season with many obstacles and difficulties. And they have, in the end… A beautiful moment.
Mikel Arteta
In a press conference on Thursday, Arteta avoided directly comparing Tottenham’s season to that of his own team.
Arteta, who led Arsenal to the Champions League semi-finals, emphasized that a team should not be judged solely by its trophies. He cited the example of his own club, which has never won the Champions League and has not lifted the Premier League trophy since the 2003-04 season.
Where is the joy then? Because if I have to analyze us… We have failed the last 20 years in the Premier League and we have failed in all our history in the Champions League.
Mikel Arteta
Arteta added that Arsenal, who have conceded only 33 goals in the league this season, seven fewer than Liverpool, are motivated to finish with the best defensive record in the league.
Arsenal will close their campaign on Sunday against already relegated Southampton.
We want to have as many points as possible. We still want to achieve the best defensive record… Finish the season at the top.
Mikel Arteta
