Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta discusses another trophyless season and Liverpools guard of honour
09/05/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
09/05/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
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00:00Hello.
00:01How are you feeling now you've had a bit more time to reflect on Wednesday night?
00:04I'm more settled.
00:05I think it was one of the saddest but one of the most proudest moments
00:11that I had as a national manager for many obvious reasons.
00:16In terms of your assessment after the match,
00:19you suggested that Arsenal were the better side over the two legs
00:22and that Arsenal have been the best side in the Champions League this season.
00:25Do you stand by that assessment?
00:26100 per cent.
00:27I'm watching it back and watching all the stats.
00:29Obviously we have the best stats and the best goals different in the semi-final.
00:34So it's very clear.
00:36But it's not about the winning probability or what you merit.
00:39It's actually making it happen and making it count.
00:42Because when you look at the important stats that normally give you
00:45the best platform to win football matches, it's crystal clear who is better.
00:50So what has happened next season to ensure that you can make it happen?
00:55Well, I think if we raise the probability even more, I mean instead of five expected goals against three,
01:02it's seven against zero, then it will be much closer.
01:05But with 5-3 normally you are in that final and you should be three.
01:10And it doesn't guarantee you anything, only that you've done so much good work.
01:14Because if you face PSG, one of the best teams, and they blow you away,
01:18you don't even know what happened.
01:19You shake hands and say, guys, we're not ready still.
01:22It's our second season in the Champions League.
01:24When you look them in the eye, you play the way they did.
01:26You suffocate them the way we did again there.
01:29And it's still not enough because things didn't go your way or they added quality
01:35or over-performed certain areas that are critical to win a football match.
01:39You have to accept that.
01:40That's a sport and in particular football.
01:43In terms of the chances you created over the course of the two-legal chances,
01:46that you were unable to convert, does that highlight what needs to happen this summer?
01:50Yeah, but I mean that's very volatile.
01:53And regardless of the players that you have, it happens.
01:56And nobody can predict when it was the semi-final Inter-Barcelona
01:59if any of you could predict who was going to score, how he's going to score.
02:03It's impossible.
02:04It's the right-back that I play with, he scored a goal.
02:05He has the best chance in the game.
02:07He missed it.
02:08The centre-back that is left foot, he scored with the right foot there.
02:11Against those, Hakimi, that's for sure.
02:13He shouldn't be in the game the last 10 minutes of the first leg.
02:16So he could not play the second game, he scored.
02:18When the Spectre goes out 0.07, it's a lot of random things in football.
02:24Last comment from me.
02:25There was clearly a lot of emotion on Wednesday night.
02:27The players were clearly absolutely devastated.
02:30Just how much of a challenge is it to lift everybody
02:32for these final three matches of the season?
02:34Is there still work to be done?
02:35But this is what we are.
02:36I mean when we get so close to win big trophies that you don't achieve it,
02:40it has to be part of that journey.
02:42To be able now to go immediately into a different competition
02:47and to perform at the highest level.
02:49That's it.
02:50Finally for me, will there be a God of honour for Liverpool at the weekend
02:53and how painful will that be to give them that respect?
02:56But they deserve that.
02:58I mean they've been the better team,
02:59they've been the most consistent
03:00and the coaching staff they've done has been fascinating.
03:04It's been really good and they fully deserve it.
03:07And that's the sport.
03:08When somebody is better you have to upload and accept and try to reach that level.
03:14Hi.
03:15Only a couple of days on the Premier League in Paris of course.
03:19What message have you been sending to players in terms of ending this season
03:23as long as possible to consolidate that second-base team?
03:26Yeah, we felt in the manner that we went out very, very proud,
03:31make sure that we finish the season in the same way.
03:33You cannot win the Premier League, that's clear.
03:36But the last 16 days that we have with three games to go,
03:39make sure that we make ourselves proud at least to compete in the end
03:43in the manner that we deserved.
03:45You spoke up briefly about unlocking the door by turning the start of the season
03:49into titles and trophies.
03:51How close do you feel you are to doing that with the current players
03:54you have to work with?
03:55And how close is this summer's recruitment going to be in helping achieve that?
03:59We are there.
04:00Because with the amount of points that we have generated in the last few seasons
04:05we could have two Premier Leagues.
04:08So you know how close we are.
04:09We are there.
04:10We are providing the numbers that win your titles.
04:12We have to be a little bit luckier or still do better
04:15is that nobody else that season better than you.
04:19But again what we did in the Champions League with those numbers
04:21you have a big probability of winning it.
04:23That's why a lot of people were thinking that we could go all the way.
04:27Do you use the word luckier?
04:28Do you feel that luckier has gone against you?
04:30There are many factors.
04:31You need that to go in your way in that decision, in that clinical moment
04:36the ball goes to the post, out in.
04:38That's the fine margin.
04:40So I think what we have tried to do is to amplify the margins.
04:44The bigger the margins are, even if those things happen
04:47then it will be very difficult for the position.
04:49So Liverpool, of course, have next on Sunday.
04:51How much importance do you face on this game in terms of sending out a message
04:56for next season by beating this season's Champions League?
04:58Ah, it's about this season.
05:00It's about the amount of points we still need to end
05:03to finish in the position that we want and we have to end that.
05:07On the regard of what you mentioned at Anfield,
05:10can you, any more team like it, use that experience of standing there
05:13congratulating the competitors on winning the league title?
05:16There's even more motivation drive to ensure that it's you guys being congratulated.
05:21Yeah, something has to drive you, motivate you, and pain probably is a good one to use sometimes,
05:28you know, when you don't really want to do something.
05:31But it's the right thing to do, use it as a motivation for next season.
05:36You said before that the experience of winning trophies really generates the need to go on and win more.
05:43I just wonder, could the fact that you and your players have given so much over the last couple of years
05:48but falling just short of the ultimate prize, could it perhaps impact the belief that they have
05:52that they can go on to become champions or is it just a part of the process?
05:56No, but it's a part of a sport and if you win it once then the challenge will be to win it again
06:01and it will be more difficult and this is the cycle of sports.
06:07Hi Miguel, how are you?
06:08Good, thank you.
06:09You said again today that your team were the best team in the Champions League.
06:14You don't think they were just one of the best as you reached the semi-files
06:18and didn't actually win the competition?
06:19Well, I said to that point and looking back as well I think we are one of the best.
06:25You want to take it literally like this and it's up to you.
06:29Do you think Arsenal have taken a step forward this season because of your Champions League campaign
06:34and the Premier League finishing second again probably?
06:37Yeah, for sure in the Champions League we have because we've done better than last season
06:41but not what we want because we want to win it.
06:44What about the Premier League?
06:45In the Premier League we're going to stay backwards.
06:48Don't you take a step?
06:49With the points that we have created it's clear that we haven't done as good as last season.
06:53That's obvious.
06:54So next season is all about recruitment in the summer.
06:57Have you already sat down and absolutely put on the table the players you want to see coming in through the door?
07:04It's about this season because it's not finished we still have three games to play.
07:08But you can't wait until the end of the season and then pick the third you want to go and fight them?
07:12No, but if we're having those meetings now we are very late.
07:15In terms of Liverpool, they've been a standout team this season.
07:20They've been the champions.
07:22Are they the team next season?
07:24Your team have to go and beat?
07:26Or are Manchester City going to be the team again?
07:28Where do you think your team have to look at who they're going to try?
07:33Well, they will hold that trophy and somebody has to come and take it out of their hands.
07:37And I'm sure that we're going to have a lot of contenders and very well prepared contenders
07:41to raise their level again and make it very difficult.
07:44You've spoken about picking the players up after Tuesday, after Wednesday, Wednesday night.
07:49How have you picked yourself up and how do you this summer get the energy to go again
07:53and do the process all over again?
07:56Doing things with perspective and being very analytical and very critical
07:59with what we've done, with what we are doing.
08:02And when you have those pictures and those things in front of you,
08:05it gives you a lot of hope to continue on that route and keep insisting and trying.
08:09That's a sport.
08:14At the end of the game, you said that the players were in tears.
08:18I'm just wondering if you could give us an insight to how they are now.
08:21How are you going to do it?
08:22How are you going to do it?
08:23How are you going to do it?
08:24How are you going to do it?
08:25Well, my sets all obviously is.
08:26It was a very emotional moment, very sad moment.
08:29We put a lot of hope and energy and work into that and we didn't get the outcome.
08:36And you need to go through that to after become stronger and better.
08:40And that's what we do.
08:41And externally, there's been a bit of criticism that there's another season
08:45that I would have to bring people apart.
08:47A, does that bother you?
08:49Or B, do you think that's fair?
08:52Not winning trophies bothers me a lot, yeah.
08:54Because I love winning and absolutely hate losing, yeah.
08:57It's been 16 years since Arsenal were last in the semi-final.
09:04Obviously fans, I don't think, will want to be waiting another 16 years for another one.
09:08What do you think you could say to the fans so they can be encouraged to wait next time
09:12and be much shorter and maybe go even further?
09:14Well, thank them for their support, for their belief, for the energy
09:18and the way they have supported and be in and around the team.
09:23It's been a great journey, a journey that we wanted to take further
09:27to end up winning it and we were unable to do it.
09:30So everybody will have to lift the standards, improve
09:34and we know that the margin will be very small and very short again
09:37and feel that we can do it, that's it.
09:41And over these last five years, I don't think they doubt in the progress
09:44that this club has made near these positions on that stage for the tournaments.
09:47When you see a club like Manchester United, for example,
09:50whose average league position compared to Arsenal's last five teams
09:53is much lower but have been in five finals in these five years
09:56and picked up two trophies and potentially could get a third on the scene,
10:00how do you view that in judging success between teams?
10:03I don't judge that.
10:05There are two words, success and failure,
10:08that they are not part of my vocabulary.
10:13Sal has probably been a top goalscorer in five years.
10:18It would be the third consecutive year
10:21of a top goalscorer playing in the team in one year.
10:24Do you think we need someone, whether that's internally or externally,
10:29to get the 25 goalscorer to win the title?
10:34Yeah, I would look more broader.
10:36I think if you score over 90 goals, you have a high probability of winning the Premier League.
10:41It doesn't guarantee you, but you have a high probability
10:44if your defensive record is very good as well
10:47and very dependable as well against who and in which moment this striker,
10:54this winger in this case has scored the goals
10:58and how many points is he contributing with his goals as well.
11:01So I have to make it more clear.
11:18In January it was clear or no?
11:20Well, I told you because you were in the room I think many times
11:26and a very clear statement and the statement continues the same.
11:31I thought the statement in January was important.
11:36Yeah, yeah, yeah.
11:37I want the best team, the best player.
11:39If we have three goal scorers over 25, bring them in.
11:43We're going to be a much better team, guys.
11:45Yeah.
11:46Just on those goalscorer,
11:49are they the hardest players to buy in the current capital?
11:56Probably there are because there's not that many that put those numbers.
11:59I mean, it's something that's in the start.
12:02There's not that many in the Premier League and to do that.
12:05But I will try to improve,
12:08but certainly improve the ones that we have right now
12:10and love the ones that we have right now,
12:12especially after losing.
12:14It's too easy to just go and look elsewhere.
12:18And don't use the moment to judge players, especially,
12:22because we can...
12:23I was asked a lot of questions about certain players in this room,
12:27always in certain moments.
12:29But when other players have outperformed other players
12:32that we were discussing,
12:34I have zero questions in the last 11 months.
12:37So it's all relative to the context, to the moment,
12:41and what you want to, the narrative that you want to generate.
12:44And I understand that.
12:46Just on the summer, are you excited by what you've got planned as a club?
12:51Very much, yeah.
12:53Already with the players that we have
12:55and having everybody fit and available,
12:57we are a super strong team.
12:59What we've done in the Champions League semi-final,
13:01we haven't done in 20 years, this football club,
13:04with the actual players that we have right now.
13:06So, yeah, very, very positive about it.
13:09Hi, Miguel.
13:10You mentioned earlier that the words success and failure aren't in your book.
13:15I'm just wondering, how do you judge, or what words do you use to kind of judge progress with yourself?
13:23To judge?
13:24To judge progress, what words do you use?
13:28Assess what we do.
13:29And what we are doing is something that we merit,
13:32or is happening by luck, or is happening,
13:35and understand the reasons why we do it.
13:37And what happens today doesn't mean that the same process,
13:39the thing that is good is going to be good tomorrow either.
13:42So, don't get carried away with that,
13:44and don't get too critical or too low when something doesn't go your way.
13:48Because we could easily be in that final.
13:51And then what?
13:52Doing exactly the same thing.
13:54With those stats, you could be in the Champions League final.
13:57And then what?
13:58So, now because you know you have to think differently,
14:01as I said, it's too simplistic.
14:03We cannot work that way.
14:04Because this sport is too volatile to think that way.
14:09Too easy.
14:10Is that something that's more just yourself,
14:13or collective, in terms of the way you...?
14:16That's the people that work in the sport that understand that.
14:19And that you see that with the results,
14:21that you can beat a team and go 4-0,
14:24and the next week you lose 0-0 against a team
14:27that has been almost relegated.
14:28And then what?
14:29Doing exactly the same thing.
14:30So, this is sport, and in particular football.
14:33Can I just ask about one of the players you do have in England?
14:37Because I've noticed in the last couple of weeks in the Premier League,
14:39he's not featured as much.
14:41So, I'm just wondering if there's any reason...?
14:43There are moments and players are used more and less,
14:47and he's played a lot.
14:49He's played probably more than anybody expected, for sure.
14:53And in the last few games, because of the games and the context,
14:57we decided not to play in that match.
14:59We can change very quickly.
15:00One more.
15:01I'm from the Czech Republic.
15:02I just spoke with Ekman,
15:03and he told me it's all about consistency.
15:04I just want to ask you as a manager,
15:05how are you trying to learn players to be consistent in every aspect of the game?
15:06Well, with habits, training every day,
15:07talking about what kind of behaviors we need to achieve what we want to do,
15:10and then raising the demands, like always.
15:11The higher the demands at the standard are, the more consistent you're going to be,
15:16because it's normal for you.
15:17But the standards are so high that for the others it's not normal,
15:21so then normally you're going to be better than them.
15:23Hi, John.
15:39Hi, John.