Mikel Arteta has challenged his Arsenal players to write their names into history by completing a remarkable double after their Premier League triumph.
The “Gunners” lifted the Premier League trophy following a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the final match of the season. The celebrations were huge, but Arteta is already focused on the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest.
The Spanish coach believes his team is heading into the final with extraordinary energy and momentum that should not be interrupted.
“We have to allow this energy to flow. Going against it would be a huge mistake. We have already spoken about what we need to do in Budapest and how we will use all this incredible energy that we are carrying with us into the final,” said Arteta.
For Arsenal, the Premier League title is a huge achievement, especially after finishing as runners-up for three consecutive seasons. However, the Champions League remains the one trophy the London club has never won.
“We cannot wait to write a new chapter in our club’s history and lift the Champions League trophy,” Arteta added.
The Spaniard, who won the FA Cup during his first season as Arsenal manager in 2020, believes the status of being champions will give the squad even more confidence ahead of the final.
“I told the boys that this shirt now represents something different. We are champions, and that brings more confidence, presence, and energy. But it also brings another responsibility. Our duty now is to raise the standards and achieve even more because I believe we are capable of doing it,” he declared.
For Arteta, the league triumph also brought a sense of relief after the disappointments of previous years, when Arsenal had come very close to success but ultimately fell short.
“I am the same person, but happier and more relieved. Throughout this journey we have taken huge steps and achieved things of great value. But in the end, we are here to win major trophies. That was the main objective,” said Arteta.
He added that the pain of previous failures pushed the squad to find new ways to show their character.
