Arteta Seeks to Rebuild Arsenal’s Champions League History

Arteta: “We want to change the history of Arsenal”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed his desire to “change the history of our club”, acknowledging that the team’s persistent inability to conquer the Champions League represents a “pressure” that both he and his players must overcome. These statements were made in Bilbao, where Arsenal is preparing to begin its 2025-26 campaign against Athletic Club. Arsenal, with 13 English league titles, is considered one of the most important clubs that have yet to win the Champions League. So far, they have only reached one final, losing it against Barcelona in 2006, and three semi-finals in their 23 participations in the European competition, dating back to the 1971-72 season. In the semi-final of last season, Arteta’s team was defeated by Paris Saint-Germain, who ultimately became champions. After the second leg, the Arsenal coach stated that his team was the best in the competition. However, with English rivals such as Liverpool (6), Manchester United (3), Chelsea and Nottingham Forest (both with 2), Aston Villa (1) and Manchester City (1) who have already won the competition, Arteta emphasized in Bilbao that the time has come for Arsenal to inscribe their name on the trophy.

“That shows, given our long history, how difficult it is because we still haven’t won it and that’s the opportunity,” Arteta commented when asked about Arsenal’s lack of success in the Champions League.

Mikel Arteta

The coach also added that pressure is an opportunity that drives energy and the desire to improve every day. In addition, he emphasized that every decision must be guided by that standard and those expectations, and that the team will give its best to achieve it. Arteta recalled that the big clubs that have won the Champions League have often had to try several times before succeeding. Therefore, in this competition, it is more likely to fail than to succeed, but it is precisely that history that Arsenal seeks to change.

Mikel Arteta has won an FA Cup during his almost six years in charge of Arsenal. Arsenal will be without Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, Kai Havertz, Ben White and Gabriel Jesus for the match against Athletic Club at the San Mamés Stadium. Despite the setbacks, Arteta is confident and “excited” about the prospect of starting a new season in the Champions League. “I’m very excited to start again from scratch in a beautiful place and a stadium that will be something special,” Arteta said. “We are really looking forward to it and I’m very excited to go step by step and start gaining momentum and victories.” The coach is aware that the road will be long and that the margins in this competition are very small, so the team will have to be at its best to have a chance. Arteta is confident that Arsenal is good enough to compete against any rival and that, in addition, things need to go well, including having a complete squad at key moments and making the right decisions.

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Arsenal’s 3-1 aggregate defeat in the semi-final came after a notable performance in Paris that had given Arteta’s team hope of reaching the final, after losing the first leg 1-0. Arteta admits the defeat at the Parc des Princes still hurts, as Arsenal prepares to start again this season. “We were very unlucky in the semi-final not to go through,” he said. “At that moment you deflate and understand what you need to do to get back in a position to do it and it gave us the conviction that the team can go all the way.” The coach highlighted the importance of learning from experience and the team’s conviction that they can go all the way, showing a high level of consistency and quality throughout the competition.