Arteta on Arsenal's stunning UCL quarter-final win over Real Madrid

NicheSportMedia

Mikel Arteta on Arsenal's stunning UEFA Champions League quarter-final win over Real Madrid. The Gunners won the second leg 2-1 to win 5-1 overall on aggregate Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain Courtesy of UEFA

Transcript

00:00Good evening, everyone. Hope everyone's well.

00:02We'll kick off with some questions in English, then we'll go to Spanish.

00:05Raise your hand and we'll come to you.

00:07We'll kick off with Dharmesh from Sky Sports.

00:13Mikel, congratulations.

00:16Have you ever felt prouder than you are now of your players?

00:20Probably not.

00:22Not only because we are in the semi-final for the third time in our history,

00:27but as well for the manner and the way we did it,

00:30not only by the way we played,

00:32but as well with the circumstances and the amount of injuries that we have.

00:36So I think overall it shows the character of this team, of this club,

00:40and it's an eye to be very proud of.

00:43Alex from the BBC.

00:45Mikel, congratulations.

00:46A great performance from the whole team,

00:48because have a word on Declan Rice,

00:50another excellent performance from him again today.

00:52Yeah, I can talk to him.

00:53Obviously, he's been decisive in the tie today in a different way.

00:56I think it was immense, his presence, the power that he showed,

00:59how composed he was without the ball.

01:02I think he left the team in many moments

01:05and turned the game in our favour.

01:07And I think that's what you need, players at this level,

01:10to step up and have big contribution,

01:12and he certainly is on that.

01:14Sam from Daily Telegraph.

01:15Hi, Mikel.

01:16Hi.

01:17We spoke a lot before this tie about belief and conviction.

01:20What does this performance this week and last week do for your team,

01:23looking at this tournament and the next few years?

01:26But the feeling that we had is a reality, basically.

01:30And the inner feeling that I had before the tie.

01:33And while the players were transmitting

01:36and how prepared I could feel the team that we are ready,

01:40we are ready to compete against anybody.

01:42And now we have to continue to do that

01:44because I think we have some momentum now.

01:47James, Athletic.

01:49Hi, Mikel.

01:50Hi.

01:51You never played down the stakes of this game.

01:53You always said it's a big challenge, a big test.

01:56Having come through that, do you think that a result like this

01:59can help your team make that final step

02:01to go from becoming challengers to winners?

02:04Can this give them the fuel and the belief that they need?

02:08Well, it's certainly another massive step.

02:11Where we finished last year

02:13and the way we've done it this year

02:15against the team with the highest honours

02:18and their competition, it's incredible.

02:21But as well, big credit to them.

02:23You know, it was my first time as a coach in that dugout.

02:27And today I realise after three minutes

02:29that in this stadium anything is possible.

02:32I mean, they are a specialist of creating such a chaos,

02:35such a belief.

02:36And it's very difficult to understand really

02:38what's going on in the game

02:40and have certain certainty about how we control it.

02:43But I think the players showed a lot of maturity.

02:46Oli?

02:47Hi, Mikel.

02:48Hi.

02:49What does that say about the character of Saka

02:52that he missed that penalty in the way he missed it?

02:56And then he came back and scored a crucial goal for you?

02:59I can go on and on with individuals

03:01and a lot of different cases that we had in that team.

03:04But with Bukayo again, he stepped up.

03:07He didn't score, obviously.

03:09That could be a turning point emotionally in the game

03:11because it gives them a lot of belief.

03:13But then the way he handled the situation,

03:15the way he played afterwards

03:16and the personality that he showed at his age,

03:19the first time that he played in this stadium, incredible.

03:22Yes, sir?

03:24Hi, Mikel.

03:25What do you think tonight shows in terms of the evolution of Arsenal?

03:28If we asked you five years ago

03:29that you'd be in the Champions League semi-final

03:32after two, like against Real Madrid,

03:34you would have pitted someone's hand off.

03:36So, yeah.

03:37What would you make of that evolution?

03:38Well, that it's been quite fast before

03:40because it wasn't possible to be in any round

03:43because the club was in the Champions League for seven years.

03:46So, that shows you the turn around

03:48and a lot of great decisions that the club has made

03:51and the contribution for a lot of people to be where we are.

03:54And it's a team that you can feel today,

03:56how hungry, how determined and the ambition that has got.

03:59So, we're going for more for sure.

04:01James, yes, go.

04:02Hi, Mikel. Congratulations.

04:05I know you want the focus to be on the players,

04:07but for you as a manager,

04:08what belief does this give you,

04:11the work that you do, vindicate your methods?

04:14What does it do for you personally?

04:16Well, it's reassuring

04:18and I'm here to experience these kind of games

04:21and to go through them.

04:23I know that sometimes you're going to win,

04:24sometimes you're going to lose.

04:25So, be very critical with yourself tonight.

04:27There are things that we can still do much better

04:30and I have to help the team to do better.

04:32But the biggest pride is when I look at them

04:36and I talk to them how convinced they feel.

04:38And that's a big part of our job.

04:40I know the coaches and that's why it's a joy to work with them.

04:44Okay.

04:45And Mikel from...

04:46Hi, Mikel. Congratulations.

04:48You mentioned the turning point of the penalty there

04:50and the chaos and how difficult it was to control again.

04:53Did you prepare your players for that mentally?

04:55But what happens if it's not going as you expect

04:57or if there is the turn that this stadium can be famous for?

05:01Yes, and we had certain tools to try to do that.

05:04But actually, to do it when it's live,

05:06you realise how bloody difficult it is, you know.

05:09But I think we've done it and we've done it in many moments

05:12in a really clever way.

05:14Because the game can drive you to a scenario that against them,

05:18you know, they are not good at all.

05:21And we were very clear on how we have to get out of that

05:24and we managed to do it.

05:26Okay, we do the last two questions in English

05:28and then we'll go to Spain.

05:29Tom from Football London.

05:30Hi, Mikel. Congratulations.

05:32A week ago, your team created an amazing atmosphere with the fans.

05:35Here, you arguably created one of the best away atmospheres.

05:38A word on the performance of the people behind the players, the fans.

05:42Yes, incredible.

05:43And thank you so much.

05:44All the supporters that have been with us in this journey

05:47in Madrid, around the hotel,

05:49and feeling that belief and support towards them.

05:52I think it's the purpose of our job to make our people happy,

05:55hopefully they feel very proud about the players and the team.

05:59And now, let's go for more.

06:01Phil Pia.

06:02Hi, Mikel.

06:03Arsenal have obviously become the first team to win here twice.

06:06Just a word on that and what that means.

06:08And also, just, you know, you and the players starting to dream

06:12that this could be the year that Arsenal win the Champions League.

06:14I didn't know that it's that before.

06:16So, great to be part of the history in that part.

06:21But again, we are really happy tonight.

06:24Certainly not satisfied.

06:26We have an amazing tie now against PSG, a team that we know really well

06:30and we have already played against.

06:32So, let's start to get prepared for that one.

06:34Okay, we'll take some questions in Spanish.

06:36First, Cadena Ser.

06:37Hola, Mikel.

06:38Muy buenas noches.

06:39Soy Anton Meana, en directo en el Alguero de la Cadena Ser.

06:41Enhorabuena.

06:42Gracias.

06:43Desconozco si el partido se ha jugado como usted lo imaginó.

06:46Porque desde fuera daba la sensación que el Arsenal ha dominado casi en todo momento,

06:50lo que se puede dominar un partido en el Bernabéu, pero que han jugado muy bien.

06:54No sé si es lo que usted tenía en mente esta mañana en el hotel.

06:57En algunos momentos sí, pero tengo que ser muy sincero.

07:00Es la primera vez que estoy en ese banquillo y hoy me he dado cuenta de por qué en este

07:05estadio puede pasar cualquier cosa.

07:07La capacidad en que tienen de creer, de generar caos, de generar una incertidumbre temenda,

07:13de no poder controlar ciertos espacios y que las cosas vayan pasando.

07:17Pero es verdad que hemos sabido salir de ahí.

07:19Hemos sabido salir de ahí.

07:20Un equipo que no había tenido ninguna experiencia en esto

07:23y en muchos momentos sí hemos sido el equipo que tenía en la cabeza.

07:28¿Qué tal, Mikel?

07:29Aquí Oscar Maya para la Agencia EFE.

07:31Quería preguntarte por el impacto de Mikel Merino en todo el plan de tu equipo.

07:34En la ida marcó un gol y había dos resistencias clave que ha dejado uno contra uno a los compañeros.

07:39Preguntarte por cómo se ha gesto ese cambio al 9 y qué supone para ti dentro del equipo.

07:43Ya lo teníamos pensado lo del 9.

07:45No.

07:46Que se ha adaptado, que es un fenómeno.

07:48Que nos ha dado algo que este equipo no tenía.

07:50Ese liderazgo, esa capacidad de entender el juego, de ocupar espacios que para los rivales son muy difíciles

07:58y luego una capacidad de trabajo abismal.

08:01De hecho, hoy creo otra vez merece un crédito enorme porque le estamos pidiendo hacer cosas que él nunca ha hecho

08:06y lo está haciendo de una manera absolutamente increíble.

08:09Míster, por acá, Eduardo Villar para HSM Deportes declaró en el postpartido que esta es una de las noches más importantes en su carrera.

08:17Yo le quería preguntar qué fue lo primero que se le pasó por la cabeza cuando vio que el partido había finalizado

08:22y segundo, si en estos pocos minutos que ha tenido se ha dado cuenta del impacto que ha tenido en la historia del Arsenal.

08:28Gracias.

08:29Lo primero, en mi mujer, mis hijos y mi familia.

08:32Porque sé cómo han estado estos días.

08:34Porque sé que escuchando todo el rumrum de lo que se puede pasar y si pasa, y si pasa, y si pasa.

08:40Y hoy estaban aquí y creo que están felices y orgullosos y me alegro mucho por ellos.

08:46Y a partir de ahí luego eso, los jugadores, verles que cuando sientes que son capaces y luego lo hacen,

08:52que no hay retribución mejor para un entrenador.

08:54Y luego ver a la gente que ha venido a vernos aquí, lo orgullosos que están del equipo.

08:58Y eso, el hambre que hay alrededor del club para seguir haciendo cosas mucho más grandes.

09:04¿Qué tal, Miquel? Juan Movadilla para Notisports. Enhorabuena lo primero.

09:09Gracias.

09:10¿Qué se te ha pasado por la cabeza en ese momento en el que Saka ha fallado el penalti al inicio del partido?

09:14Si, bueno, querías regañarle, si querías morirte, ¿cómo lo veías?

09:19Hasta ese punto no hemos llegado, pero darle un cachete igual.

09:23Al final el jugador tiene que tomar la decisión de hacer lo que cree que es lo mejor.

09:29Y hasta ha tomado esa decisión, ha tenido el coraje de hacerlo, ha fallado.

09:33Estaba más preocupado por la parte emocional, por lo que iba a suponer para nosotros eso.

09:38Después es el penalti, que al final lo anulan también.

09:41Y ahí el partido puede haber cambiado porque se notaba que se estaba generando algo

09:45que en ese momento no era bueno para nosotros.

09:48Ok, final dos preguntas.

09:49Primero iré y luego volvemos a Goyen.

09:51Hola, Miquel. Fermín de La Calle del Periódico. Enhorabuena por la clasificación.

09:55Yo quería preguntarte, el otro día nos dijiste que habías hablado con Guardiola

09:58antes del partido de ida.

09:59Y quería preguntarte si has hablado con él o con otros entrenadores

10:02que han pasado por aquí de cara a este partido para prepararlo.

10:05Sí, lo he llamado yo esta mañana.

10:08Pero porque creo que si estoy aquí es en gran parte por él.

10:14Primero porque para mí como jugador y entrenador fue una inspiración

10:17y luego porque fue la persona que decidió apostar por mí, por meterme en su cuerpo técnico

10:23y por vivir cuatro años maravillosos al lado de él.

10:27Y creo que es un agradecimiento que le voy a tener para siempre y si no, probablemente no estaría aquí sentado.

10:32Ok.

10:33Finalmente por el turno.

10:35Hola, Miquel. Sí, lo de Iliario Inglés de Guardian.

10:38Es un poco de la importancia de la parcela mental, digamos, anímica y sobre todo lo que acabas de decir

10:44es que en este estadio pasan cosas que incluso pensándolos no te lo imaginabas.

10:49Entonces, ¿cómo explicas que el equipo haya sido capaz de salir de estos momentos complicados?

10:55Y no sé si eso habla por encima de todo de una madurez y de una inteligencia, ¿no?

10:59Porque los dos partidos no han sido iguales.

11:01Por manera de jugar han sido dos partidos muy inteligentes pero de maneras distintas, ¿no?

11:06Bueno, primero intentar identificar cuando pasan esos momentos qué está pasando en el juego

11:11y a partir de ahí erradicarlo.

11:13Y creo que había momentos que hemos sido capaces de pararlo para que no pasara de manera más consistente y habitual.

11:20Y después de nada, disfrutar esos momentos.

11:23Si queremos estar en las semifinales vamos a tener que pasar más los ratos jugando en este estadio.

11:27Hay que disfrutarlos y hay que entender qué están pasando para entonces poder salir de ellos.

11:32Y creo que el equipo lo ha hecho de una manera muy inteligente.

11:36Ok. Thank you everyone. Good night.

11:38Thank you. Gracias.

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