Mikel Arteta has issued a fierce rallying cry ahead of Arsenal's Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid, declaring his side will take to the pitch as "beasts" in their quest to reach the final for the first time in nearly two decades.
After securing a hard-fought 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Metropolitano last week, the Gunners are perfectly poised to finish the job at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. The north London club have never won Europe's elite competition, with their only final appearance ending in a heartbreaking defeat to Barcelona back in 2006.
Arteta's men came agonizingly close last season, falling to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals. But the Spanish boss insists that heartbreak has only sharpened their hunger. "We will take to the pitch as beasts tomorrow and enjoy the moment and go for it," Arteta told reporters on Monday. "I can't wait. I feel the energy among the team and our supporters. This is the moment that we want to live together."
The Arsenal manager, who knows a thing or two about winning titles as a former captain, stressed the significance of the occasion. "We have worked hard as a club and as a team after 20 years to be in this position again. And we are so hungry to get through to that final. It is a feeling of huge excitement. So let's push hard, because something amazing is going to happen."
Arteta has received a major boost with captain Martin Odegaard available after missing Saturday's Premier League win over Fulham. German forward Kai Havertz is also in contention, returning from a two-game absence due to a knee injury. Their potential return adds crucial depth as Arsenal chase their first silverware since the 2020 FA Cup.
When asked if he could visualize Odegaard lifting the Champions League trophy later this month, Arteta's response was measured but confident. "I did that many years ago and it was the thing that I had in mind for this club. You can never promise to win major trophies, but you can promise to work every single day by implementing the vision and being determined with the ideas and the decisions to make this club one of the best in Europe. Here we are. Now we have to make the next step."
With a place in the final against either PSG or Bayern Munich at stake, the Emirates faithful will be hoping their team channels that beast-mode mentality to write a new chapter in Arsenal's European history.