Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal have the momentum to go all the way in the Champions League after their landmark victory over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Arsenal sealed a 2-1 win in Madrid, capping a 5-1 aggregate triumph to reach the semi-finals, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain. Bukayo Saka, who missed a first-half penalty, gave Arsenal the lead in the second half. Vinicius Junior equalized soon after, but Gabriel Martinelli struck in stoppage time to secure a famous victory for the Gunners.
The result made Arsenal the first English team to win twice at the Bernabeu, following Thierry Henry’s iconic performance nearly two decades ago. Reflecting on the achievement, Arteta said, “The feeling that we have is a reality. We are ready to compete against anybody. And now we have to continue to do that because we have some momentum now.”
He added, “We are in the semi-final for only the third time in our history, and I am proud of the manner and the way we did it. Not only by the way we played, but also with the circumstances and the amount of injuries we have had.”
Arsenal entered the second leg with a commanding 3-0 lead from the first match at the Emirates, where Declan Rice scored twice from set pieces. Saka had the chance to extend the aggregate lead early in Madrid after VAR awarded Arsenal a penalty for a foul on Mikel Merino, but his attempted Panenka was saved by Thibaut Courtois.
Arteta joked about the miss, saying, “I would have liked to slap him (Saka), but the player has to make the decision, and he was bold enough to do it. That could have been a turning point emotionally in the game because it gave them a lot of belief. But then the way he handled the situation, and the way he played afterwards was incredible.”
Real Madrid thought they had a penalty of their own when Declan Rice tangled with Kylian Mbappe, but the referee overturned his initial decision after review.
Arteta also shared that he called Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola before the match, acknowledging Guardiola’s influence on his coaching career: “I called him this morning because I am here thanks to him. As a player and a coach he has been an inspiration to me. I had four amazing years with him, and I will always be grateful to him.”
For Real Madrid, the defeat raises questions about Carlo Ancelotti’s future. The veteran manager, who has won three Champions League titles with Madrid, said, “Maybe the club decides to replace me, and maybe it could be this year, or next year when my contract is over. But when I am done here, I will be grateful to this club. That could be tomorrow, 10 days, one month or in one year, but if my contract ends or doesn’t end, I really don’t care. Over the two games, Arsenal have been better than us.”
Arsenal now turn their focus to the semi-finals, with Arteta and his squad aiming to capitalize on their momentum and chase Champions League glory.