Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has said that his players are feeling the weight of history ahead of the crucial UCL semi-final clash vs Paris Saint-Germain.
The Gunners have never won the UEFA Champions League and today’s first leg clash against PSG is their first appearance at this stage since 2009, and only their third in their entire history.
Speaking recently during a press conference, Arteta revealed that he can only urge them to live in the moment as they fight for a place in the UCL final because they have to earn the right to be one of the final 2 teams left in the prestigious competition.
“You feel it, especially because we have, fortunately, a lot of people that have worked in the club for many, many years, and they’ve never been in this position. So that tells you how unique and beautiful it is. It’s the nicest competition for any European club.
We’ve never done it, so we need to earn the right to be in that final, and everything is going to start tomorrow,” he said.
Arteta said that even if the club has never lifted the UCL trophy in its history, the current players have to channel the desire to write their memorable story, while striving to do what others have failed to do in the past.
Arteta is of the opinion that playing with the right mindset and enthusiasm can go a long way towards achieving the unthinkable, so his boys only have to believe that it is possible.
“It’s a moment now to say, ‘OK, this is who we are, this is who we are as a team, this is who I am as an individual and I’m going to put my very best in there to make it happen.’
Play with that mindset and let yourself go. They know everything now is about, OK, where are the limits and how far I’m able and how far I want to go. That’s it.
Live the now, the present. This is where we are. We are so fortunate. We put so much into it to be in the position that we are. We earn it with our work, with our enthusiasm, because we face a lot of challenges and we managed to compete at the highest level for ten months. So we earn it now. Be present and live the moment. It’s a beautiful moment. Let’s live it and let’s enjoy it.
I think going to the Bernabeu is probably the biggest test that you can have as a European team because of the history, because of the very recent history and a lot of the things that happened there. I think we managed that game really, really well. And I think that brings confidence and experience to a team that most of us, we never had before,” Arteta added.
