LONDON — Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has described his side’s Champions League run as a “beautiful story” but insisted they are hungry for more as the Gunners prepare to host Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final first leg on Tuesday night.
In what he called “one of the biggest games the Emirates Stadium has seen,” Arteta called upon the Arsenal faithful to create an atmosphere unlike anything before, urging them to “bring your boots, your shorts and T-shirt and let’s play every ball together.”
The north London club stunned reigning European champions Real Madrid with a resounding 5-1 aggregate victory in the quarter-finals. Their reward is a clash with PSG, a team they defeated 2-0 during the group stage last October. Arsenal will be hoping to draw on that experience when they step onto the pitch at 20:00 BST on Tuesday.
“We are making history,” Arteta said during his pre-match press conference. “It’s a beautiful story right now — but we want much more.”
Arsenal have not reached the last four of the competition since 2009, when they were defeated 4-1 on aggregate by Premier League rivals Manchester United. Their closest brush with European glory came in 2006, when Arsène Wenger’s side lost the final to Barcelona.
Arteta acknowledged the emotional weight of the occasion for the club and its long-serving staff and supporters.
“You feel [the weight of history],” he said. “Especially because we have a lot of people who have worked at this club for many, many years and they’ve never been in this position. That tells you how unique and beautiful this is.”
Despite an impressive European campaign, Arsenal’s domestic form has wavered. They have won just one of their last four Premier League matches, a slump that allowed Liverpool to clinch the title with four games remaining. Injuries to key players such as Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Martin Ødegaard, and Ben White have compounded their difficulties.
However, in Europe, the Gunners have thrived. They topped their group with six wins from eight matches and brushed aside PSV Eindhoven 9-3 on aggregate in the round of 16 before their quarter-final triumph over Madrid.
Arteta’s preparations have been boosted by the return of midfielder Mikel Merino and defender Ben White to full training. Their availability could prove vital in countering the attacking threat posed by PSG’s Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé.
Arteta, who is seeking his first major silverware since lifting the FA Cup in 2020, emphasized that belief and togetherness will be key against the French champions.
“The fact that we are here as one of the four best teams in Europe tells you about the mindset, the spirit, and how much we really want it,” he said.
Arteta closed by issuing a rallying cry to the fans ahead of Tuesday’s monumental clash.
“You want to do something special? That place has to be something special. Something we haven’t seen.”
With the Emirates Stadium set to host its most significant European night in years, Arsenal stands on the brink of rewriting its history — and Arteta knows they will need every ounce of energy, on and off the pitch, to reach the final.
