Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has declared full confidence in his team’s ability to overcome European giants Real Madrid in what he calls the “biggest night” of his managerial journey.
The Gunners, chasing their first-ever Champions League crown, are set to host the 15-time champions at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday in the quarter-final first leg, with the return fixture scheduled for next week in Madrid.
Arsenal and Real Madrid have only clashed twice in European competition — during the 2005/06 Champions League Round of 16, a tie Arsenal won en route to the final.
Arteta, who has been at the helm since 2019 and once captained the club, reflected on the magnitude of the occasion during a pre-match press conference.
“It is 100 percent the biggest night of my career,” he told reporters on Monday.
“That’s why I came into football, and that’s why I came into management and especially to this football club.”
With the Gunners back on the elite European stage after years of absence, the Spaniard emphasized the chance to carve out a new chapter in Arsenal’s history.
“It’s been 20 years since we had this type of game and for us, it’s a great opportunity to build our own story and this is what we’re here for,” he said.
“The excitement around the club, the people, and the magnitude of this match. This is the stage we want to be at, and where Arsenal has to be consistently. We are very proud to be there, and now be very ready tomorrow to deliver.
“At 8:00 pm (1900 GMT) tomorrow night, 11 players, 60,000 fans, I am really super-convinced that we are ready to win and to beat them. That’s the mindset that I want.”
Currently trailing Premier League leaders Liverpool by 11 points, the Champions League now represents Arsenal’s most realistic hope of silverware this season. They exited at the same stage last year, falling to Bayern Munich.
However, with star winger Bukayo Saka expected to return to the starting lineup for the first time in over three months, Arteta believes it’s time to change the narrative.
“There is a massive gap there for so many years when nothing has happened in this football club in relation to European competitions,” he noted.
“And we need to change that, and we need to change that quickly. It is just the first leg, but the intention of the team and what we want to achieve tomorrow is very clear. We’re going to go for it.”
In terms of team news, defenders Jurrien Timber and Ben White, who both featured in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Everton — are in contention, while Jakub Kiwior may partner William Saliba at the back as Gabriel remains sidelined through injury.
