Arteta: “We changed the club and now it’s time to win”

Mikel Arteta (San Sebastián, 1982) lived a very complicated time. The injuries were riding on a team that, after two runners -ups often, finally won the Premier League, but it didn’t knock him out. The Champions League and the tie against Real Madrid have offered an escape, a new illusion for a club that has not been in the semifinals for 16 years.

In a sunny afternoon at Arsenal Sports City, Arteta meets with Eph and the newspaper to check his career as a coach at Emirates Stadium and in detail What awaits you before Real Madrid, the biggest challenge of this course.

ØDegaard, Gabriel, Gabriel Jesus, White, then, Havertz, Tomiyayu … All were injured 2, 3 or 4 months. How much is it like being this time at this time?

Because the team with culture and flexibility in any context we have been able to survive once we live, despite everything that has happened to us. Not only do they damage, there are five expulsions, which for a large team in a league is a barbarity. It has a lot to do, because men want them, they don’t give up, they don’t look for reasons and look at other ways, because the illusion is to win and it’s to win large trophy.

Do you think there is a motivation, for the good part of the season, or is there a failure in the existence of more available players?

There are the same, because of what I wrote, the goal for when we were in April, was to reach this stage with the whole group available. Having played six top games before and if we got to an extension tie, they would all finish. From what I thought we were, there was a world. We were still able to adapt, and we achieved the wonderful thing: we took young players, others were in different positions and became a growing up for everyone.

To what extent is the stability for everything that happened did these players become stronger?

I think it affects them positively, because I think these are the experiences you take where both of you and the team respond to the face and eyes on what’s going on and trying to spin it and get the goals. That’s the mind. Ultimately, winning depends on small details, but being there is more and that’s the quality of a team. One of the good qualities of this group is that he likes a lot, but that, separately, he will rebel against what is to come.

After these times, a surprise point has changed in demand, titles, to win more, how can you catch the quick move?

It was so good that we managed to change that understanding, because it was very difficult, especially since we were so far away and we thought it would cost us more. Demand is associated with the level you have and the level that others see you have. That should be thought to be positive, because it means you are close to getting what you want.

In England I think that Arsenal’s jump has been made since you arrived in 2019, as a club, and how it is now, but how is the Spanish fan seeing that Arteta has won three titles in two years and he lost the last two premier league?

This is a good question, but I don’t know, I have no answer. What we have done to all is not to improve a team, or that a team surrenders, what we have done is change a club that is in a very difficult situation in all aspects, at the level of society, at the level of economic and sporting level, and especially at the level of belief that we can be where we can be. And now what it holds is to win, we have taken many steps that what it holds is to win. Ultimately the test is normal, as it is arsenal, people need to be judged to win or not win.

And how when will arsenal be allowed to win?

I don’t know that, but if you’re close to the latter. This league is the best in the world, and there are six teams that anyone can win. And the title is not “tried”, the title is different and I don’t want to say the word.

Achieving a premier league is the confirmation of the project in which he is working and building in the arsenal, but, to overcome the tie against Real Madrid is an important support for the project?

Of course. In the end we need to know where we are and what history we have. This club has not twice in the quarterfinals of champions for 15 years, said soon. And like that, there are other things we have done. But we need to come up with our own history, and go through these qualified, win over them and enter the semifinal. That is the next step we should take.

One to reach the quarterfinals is a goal marked but, when playing against Real Madrid, does this tie understand as a form of claim? For you, by confirmation of your project; For the club, the Champions League semifinals will reach the first time since the 2008-2009 season; For Martin ØDegaard, face his exequipo who became the Captain of Arsenal …

I’m not like that, I feel illusion. I think the opponent has touched us that makes more illusions because he has become king of competition in history, and has his own merits in addition. We have an opponent who will ask the maximum in the best competition in Europe. So give it up, for it.

What scenario should be given for Arsenal to remove Real Madrid?

The first, that we are better than them, that we have created it from a minute, and in decisive moments we are effective. We know that in the Champions League how the matches are decided are in places.

The problem is, against Real Madrid, being better is not something that always leads you to defeat them …

It may be, but if you are worse the probability is less [risas]. There we have no possibility.

Before Real Madrid you could not expect Gabriel, injured. How much does a game plan and conditions go down like yours? It was one of the leaders of the defense and voice authorized in the locker room, the mainly offensive weapon on the ball stopped …

Yes, the night (Magalhães) means more than what he gives us in the game for the existence and personality he has, the leadership that shows within our team. But we lost it and you had to fix things. We need to play based on the qualities we have in each player. We will return it and we will try unique.

Another correct name is Martin Ødegaard. Real Madrid fan can see him, become captain and leader, both football and emotional, arsenal, as well as one of the best premier League and European players, and thinks: ‘Why didn’t he succeed in Real Madrid?’ What happened to the arsenal so that this player became?

Well, like all the players, who found their place, with time to show in the grass of what he could. From there, he got the site from the first day to arrive. Then he didn’t have this role and he won performance, with his personality, the way he was, and he won all of us. It is at a rare level.

How much does a game prepare depending on the opponent? How many opponents are Real Madrid or more focused on what your team can do?

The highest percentage of what we are preparing depends on us, always. But, depending on the rival, how much we allocate, what percentage what things are. Real Madrid has a substance, which is the emotional substance. Then there is an unpredictable part of what it usually does, and the completely unpredictable part is the moments. That can’t be used. We can speak or try to guess and try to cute, but it’s part of the game and what they are and their greatness.

How can you cooperate against lack of sanity?

There are things we will try to do and talk to. It’s very easy to stop the video today and give it a context of what happened that day in Santiago Bernabéu (against Manchester City), but the key is that we can do it and stop it when this happens. We should know and recognize it because it is a very important part of what they do, like us, when we make those moments, we are a dangerous team.

Do you have an arsenal, after the epic comebacks, the emotional outfit that is comparable to Real Madrid and can be the key to the tie?

Completely. For me, in qualified matches, teams who won a lot, the local stadium had to come up with fear. An energy, something special, where anything can happen. Then, in big games, big players. These are the moment of big players, who are at their maximum level on the tie, but are very difficult.

And do you have big players arsenal?

We have them and we need to do them now. That’s the step we should take.