00:00What a noise, what a moment for this team, for this club.
00:04Hey, you're taking me away from the celebrations, man.
00:07It's so beautiful, you'd love to see what it means to us, what it means to the fans.
00:12Yeah, we're all so happy.
00:13What pulled you through, they say about managing games, you take the lead.
00:17It's easier said than done sometimes to do that.
00:20Yeah, it's easier said than done.
00:23You know, this game is a high-pressure game.
00:25It means a lot to both sides and we managed to manage it well
00:28and take ourselves to the final, so we're happy.
00:30And what about the atmosphere this crowd generated this evening?
00:33Yeah, it started before the game, you know, when we were arriving in the coaches.
00:37I've never seen anything like it.
00:38And they pushed us and pushed us and pushed us and they got this moment in the end,
00:42so we're celebrating it together.
00:44Your 81st goal for Arsenal. Has there been a more special one?
00:49Maybe, maybe. It's definitely up there.
00:52It should be up there.
00:53Was there something as well about the goal itself?
00:56A mix of patience and positivity to your play.
00:59But the way it went over the top to Victor, and there you were.
01:03Yeah, in those situations, I just try and stay alive.
01:06And, you know, sometimes it bounces for you, sometimes it doesn't.
01:09But you have to be there.
01:10And I was there and it fell for me.
01:11And I got my goal.
01:12So, glory to God, thank God, and we go to the final now.
01:15And just sum it up in terms of this team, because you've been under a lot of pressure in recent
01:21weeks.
01:21You would have seen that as well happening from a distance.
01:24So, do you feel you've come through a psychological barrier?
01:28Yeah, well, there's no way you're going to come to this position and not have pressure.
01:32You know, we're in the semi-finals.
01:33Well, now we're in the final of the Champions League.
01:35Let me correct myself and we're fighting for the Premier League.
01:38So, how can you not expect for people to talk about you and people to criticise you?
01:42You know, that's why we have to block it out, focus on getting the job done.
01:45And we did that and, yeah, another step forward.
01:47Listen, the guy who was in Mikel Arteta's first ever team in 2019.
01:51You've been the match winner tonight.
01:53You were in Mikel Arteta's first ever team, 2019, Boxing Day.
01:58So, a fitting match winner.
02:01Yeah, it's a beautiful story and I hope it ends well in Budapest.
02:05How do you sum up tonight for the club and for you and for this group of players?
02:09Well, it's an amazing night.
02:12But to live this kind of moment with our people, our players, everybody at the club,
02:16it's just an incredible feeling.
02:20It makes sense, a lot of the things that we do and we go through
02:24when you just see so many happy faces and so many people proud of what we are doing.
02:29And, yeah, it was unbelievable right from the beginning.
02:32The manner that our supporters wait for us outside the stadium,
02:35the energy, the passion that they put in, it was just great to witness.
02:39It would be fair to say that tonight the supporters rose to the occasion, set the tone.
02:44Absolutely. I think they set the standards and we tried to catch up with them immediately.
02:50It's so good after so many years to give that joy back to them and see that pride in their
02:56eyes is beautiful to watch.
02:57So many players were involved tonight, maximum subs off the bench, all to make an impact.
03:03What pleased you most?
03:04Again, the togetherness, it was very difficult to make certain decisions and I feel a lot for the boys.
03:09Because I know generally how good people they are.
03:13And some of them, I talked to them this afternoon and said,
03:15I apologize, I'm going to play the same team.
03:17And the reaction immediately was, I'm here when you need me.
03:21I'm going to be right with the team and give me a hug.
03:23So, what else do I want?
03:24Bukayo Saka, we said it yesterday, he was in your very first team when you were Arsenal manager, Boxing Day
03:292019.
03:30Was there, of all the guys, a more fitting match winner?
03:35But it had to be someone very special and it certainly is someone very special with me for the boys
03:40and for everybody attached to this club.
03:42So, if it had to be someone scoring that goal, probably it had to be him.
03:46That defeat at Manchester City when Declan Rice said it's not done yet, feels like an awful long time ago.
03:52It does, but there's a twist and turn of elite sports and football in particular.
03:57And you have to be at it because you never know what the next moment opportunity is going to bring
04:02to you.
04:02So, what have you changed then in terms of tweaks?
04:05I mean, maybe that tactically, the ball quickly forward to Xocharez.
04:11Would that be fair to say?
04:13He's more involved.
04:14What have you done?
04:17Give yourself a bit of credit maybe.
04:19No, we're constantly trying to improve and evolve ourselves and I'm very critical with myself as well.
04:24And I think obviously when certain players start to be involved and available, it makes such a difference.
04:30What about Victor Xocharez tonight?
04:31It was immense.
04:33And you could see the reaction of the crowd every time.
04:35He was holding the ball there.
04:36I mean, his world rate, what he's giving the team is just incredible.
04:41And 30th clean sheet of the season.
04:43A lot is said about attack.
04:45We saw it last week, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich.
04:48What about this team's defence?
04:50It's immense.
04:51I mean, you talk about Jocharez.
04:52Yeah.
04:52So, he's the first one to set the tone, the rhythm and the habits that he shows when we don't
04:59have it.
04:59And that's a team effort and everybody deserves credit for that.
05:02They say attack wins matches, but defence wins titles.
05:06Let's go for it then.
05:07Well done.
05:08Thank you so much.
05:08Thank you so much.
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