Mikel Arteta is confident that defeating Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals will propel Arsenal to new heights, urging his players to create a fresh narrative at the Allianz Arena.
Following an exhilarating draw against Thomas Tuchel’s side at the Emirates Stadium last week, the Gunners enter the second leg on Wednesday with the scoreline level at 2-2. While a recent loss to Aston Villa has dealt a blow to Arsenal’s Premier League title aspirations, their focus now shifts back to European competition.
Prior to this season, Arsenal had suffered seven consecutive round of 16 exits in the Champions League, three of which were at the hands of Bayern. Arteta, however, believes that progressing to the semi-finals, where they could potentially face either Manchester City or Real Madrid, would mark a significant milestone for the club.
When asked about the transformative impact of a victory and whether it would elevate Arsenal to the next level, the Spanish manager responded,
“Absolutely. It would be an incredible achievement. If we manage to accomplish it tomorrow and secure a spot in the semi-finals, we will experience a surge of emotions that we haven’t felt in 15 years. This is a tremendous opportunity for us.”
Arteta has implemented a significant shift in strategy for important away matches this season, disregarding the previous patterns and leading Arsenal to draws against top competitors City and Liverpool. Despite suffering 5-1 defeats in their last two trips to the Allianz, Arteta is determined to achieve another remarkable away display to amend the recent record.