- 18/05/2025
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on the race to second and Arsenal having wanted a different outcome this season
16/05/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
16/05/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
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SportsTranscript
00:00We're going to decide that tomorrow.
00:12So he's done certain parts of the sessions in the last two days.
00:16He looks in great shape, but I think it's more a shout of, first of all,
00:20the medical staff, the doctor especially, giving the clearance
00:24and then how Kai actually feels to contribute if he's required.
00:28How much credit does he deserve for getting himself back into a position
00:32where he could play before the end of the season?
00:34Unbelievable. I think his work rate, the work that he's done as well,
00:38a lot of credit to all the medical staff for the work that they've done
00:42throughout the last few months because between them they've been pushing each other.
00:46We know how important Kai is for us.
00:48And the fact that he looks in great shape.
00:51I think he's improved a lot of the metrics that are very important for a striker
00:55to give himself the best chance.
00:57And you see the transformation on him, which has been really impressive.
01:01Once again, there's plenty of injuries you're dealing with right now.
01:04What's the latest move?
01:05Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Nureen Simba?
01:09Again, they've done part of the session, a complete session.
01:13We're going to have to wait and see tomorrow if they can deal with things that they haven't done
01:18because they weren't ready to that end in the week.
01:20Final home match of the season, given all the injuries, given the break cards, given the suspensions.
01:25Just how deep are these players that deep this season?
01:29Yeah, it's been a phenomenal effort from all of them, understanding the circumstances.
01:34It's our last home game, as you said.
01:36It's always a very special occasion.
01:38It's our chance as well to wrap up the Champions League, to put ourselves in a really strong position for the second place.
01:44And as well, in a way, to say thank you again to all of our supporters for the amazing season
01:53that they've been in every journey, in every ground, making the effort to travel with us everywhere
01:58and at home as well.
02:00And it's the biggest, I think, one of the best days in the season when you have to just say thank you to them
02:07and they can say what they feel as well about the team.
02:10Given everything that the players have been through this evening,
02:12have they got one more big performance in them on Sunday?
02:15They do, two.
02:16Not one.
02:17We need two and now we're going to start with that one.
02:20We're going to have to need a big one and be very clinical because we know the qualities of Newcastle,
02:27we know the results that we have lately against them and how thin the margins are with them
02:32and the fact that, yeah, especially how clinical we have to be in front of them to score the goals.
02:39Newcastle would move above you into second if they won on Sunday.
02:43How important is it you ensure that if you can't win the Premier League then you finish runners-up?
02:48Well, you have to be always as good as you possibly can.
02:52Obviously, the dream of winning the Premier League this season is gone.
02:56So, as we said, be the best of the rest and feel that pain to be better.
03:03And finally for me, it could be the last match at the Emirates for the number of players who have returned to the parent club or end of their contract.
03:10Does it look like Thomas Partey will be back here next season?
03:13I wouldn't like to talk specifically about anybody.
03:16As you said, there are a few cases and we will all try to show our gratitude, how much we love them,
03:23how much we appreciate the time that we've been together and hopefully our supporters can do the same with them.
03:29I know it's not over yet, but we have two games to go. What is the overriding feeling when reflecting on this season?
03:37Still, we finish the last one and I get that feeling and sometimes to analyse I prefer not to do that exercise.
03:44You mentioned recent results against Newcastle. Would you say they're a bit of a bogey team for Arsenal?
03:50Well, a very difficult team for any opposition, I think. I think what Eddie, the staff and as a club, what they've done in the last few years is remarkable.
03:59And they've been very, very consistent, very difficult to play against, like we've been.
04:04What is it that makes Newcastle so difficult?
04:08Well, that they dominate almost every aspect of the game, you know.
04:12They are great when they have to attack a low block and they have a lot of presence in the boys.
04:16They need to go on set-pieces, they need to go on transition, they need to defend a low block.
04:20The game has to get physical. They are ready to do that. The way they compete, they are smart.
04:25They try to take advantage of a lot of things, like any good team.
04:30You have to dominate a lot of things, even though you are not on the top of the table in this league.
04:34You said you wanted to say thank you to the fans last year of the season. Just how special has the atmosphere been at the end of the season?
04:41Yeah, well, I think it's growing and growing and that's what we want to do.
04:46I think we have raised expectations so much and we understand what they want.
04:51We want it more than anybody else.
04:53And the journey makes sense when you have that support, that love and that chemistry between the people that feel very attached to this football club,
05:02the players and the staff. And I think that's the case. But we know that we all want much more.
05:08You've raised expectations as you say. Does that increase pressure as well at the same time?
05:13Well, it has to be. And especially in Cernobon. I think it's how much you demand yourself and how much we demand to the person next to him.
05:21And the crowd and the support is always a big measure as well because it has to exist.
05:26That connection but as well that demand between all of us to be better. And then we will get better at the small margins that can define winning big trophies or not. Thank you.
05:40Hi, Miguel. How are you?
05:41Hi. Good. Thank you.
05:42Regrettes this season? I mean, you said you were looking at the end of the season, how you actually feel.
05:48But any regrets going into the final game of the championship and still on the line?
05:54What have you done?
05:56I wouldn't use that word. I think probably you have regrets in your life and anything that you do in professional life as well when you haven't done your best.
06:04I can guarantee you, I'll give you my words, that we have all tried our very best, you know.
06:10Do we want a different outcome, especially on how close we've come again?
06:14The answer is yes, but that doesn't undermine a lot of incredible things that this team has done, again,
06:21in the context that we play against the opposition that we play with the circumstances that we have.
06:26It's impossible to undermine.
06:28Do you feel you've had the credit over the last 12 months, maybe the last five years, for how far you've brought this club?
06:36I don't know, but it's not something I'm looking for, you know.
06:39I'm looking for to give my very best to facilitate and to give my vision, my work,
06:47and bringing people together to get this club as far as we possibly plan, as quick as we possibly can.
06:53And I guarantee you that's what I've been doing for the last five or half years of my life.
06:58I know you're talking about players individually, but can I mention William Saliba?
07:03His 100th game for Arsenal.
07:05There was a time at the beginning of his career here where he was out on loan and out on loan,
07:09and you kept asking about him.
07:11Has he developed into the player you thought he would be?
07:14Yes, and I think he's in an amazing trajectory.
07:17I think when you look in Europe, centre-backs at a stage to do what he's already done in the game,
07:21there's not that many.
07:23And there are a lot of factors that have contributed to that.
07:26The first one, him, you know, his character, his professionalism,
07:29how much he demands himself.
07:31And the second one, the environment that he's got around him,
07:34especially the players that he plays with, the way they look after him,
07:39the way they promote and hide the qualities and weaknesses of a player.
07:44And there's still much more to come from him.
07:47And football season, or the Premier League season maybe coming to an end,
07:51but football is 12 months of the year now, as you know.
07:53Earlier in the week, you were on the 17th squad.
07:58Two of your players were in that quarter and maxed down.
08:01You've spoken about maxed quite a lot.
08:03How much is this a big summer for them?
08:05Because you look at some Premier League players that have come through.
08:08You've spoken about other clubs like Morgan Gibbs-White or Phil Foden.
08:13They all start off with success at this coming level.
08:16How big a summer is it for Jack and Matt?
08:18Talking to them is the biggest tournament that exists in the world.
08:21You know, when you play for your country at that level,
08:24I mean, it doesn't get much better than that.
08:27Really happy for them too.
08:29And hopefully they can have an amazing tournament and I'm bringing home.
08:33I don't know, there's nothing to do with the nominations.
08:58We know what Miles is on this season.
09:01I think the sample still of what he's done is very, very, very short.
09:05And now it's about proving that you can do it every month, every three months,
09:09every six months, every year, every two years, three years.
09:12And that's the most difficult thing in football,
09:15which is consistency at every level.
09:17You know, in performances, in your behaviour,
09:20in continuing to develop in your game,
09:22contributing to win football matches, not about you.
09:24And my certainly is in the right trajectory.
09:27And this is one of the last I've been going to get to torture before,
09:30for some of our opportunity.
09:31But a little while now to work with Andrea,
09:33I'm curious what that experience has been like working with him
09:36and how different has it been to working maybe with him before?
09:39Very good.
09:40Two very completely different personalities, characters,
09:44a bad one, but someone very driven,
09:48very clear in his ideas, in the vision,
09:51and how he wants to achieve it.
09:53And as well very supportive for everything that's being done here,
09:56with a lot of people that have contributed massively
09:58to the position that we are today as a club,
10:01the squad that we have, the players and the staff that we have,
10:04and ready to add value and make us better.
10:08That's the reason why we're choosing to be here with us.
10:11So, Alexander?
10:13When we spoke to you last week,
10:15you were talking about last summer and trying to buy a striker,
10:18you said you were fully aligned and you couldn't do what you wanted to do.
10:21Going into this window, you fully aligned on the striker that you wanted to accept.
10:26Yes, and what we have to do, yes.
10:28And what we can do, I don't know.
10:30I think sometimes from the plan that we had,
10:32and actually what we were able to execute,
10:35we've never been able to replicate it exactly.
10:38This is football.
10:39It happens, I think, to every football club.
10:41That's why we plan certain ways,
10:44and okay, we cannot do it, we will do something else.
10:46I think the aim is clear,
10:48but then you have to just do it slowly, thing by thing,
10:52and start to achieve it.
10:54And a big part of that as well is keeping
10:56and making sure that the players that are here are happy,
10:59they feel valued, and they are willing to continue with us.
11:03That's as well very, very important.
11:05It's been sort of suggested that we have Andrea coming in.
11:07He may have suggested some players that different to you
11:10who may be not fully aligned on the players you want.
11:13Well, if that happens, I mean that we cannot explain ourselves well enough,
11:18and we are not clear enough on what we want,
11:20and I guarantee you that hasn't happened.
11:22It didn't happen in five and a half years with Edu,
11:24and I guarantee you with Andrea.
11:26Or because they are good to say,
11:28Michael, look this and this is what we need.
11:30I said, go and do it.
11:32You know?
11:33And if we're not, it's because we will,
11:35I will ask that many questions as well,
11:37and we will do so much work that it would be so evident
11:41that this is what we don't have to do.
11:43This is not going to fit.
11:44I guarantee you it's not going to fit.
11:45Because as well, we have learned a lot.
11:47Some of them have worked really well and others not.
11:50And that's from the ones as well that we have to learn so well
11:54to make sure that we make the right calls.
11:56But we are all human beings,
11:58and fortunately nobody has got the clister clear pole here.
12:02I think so.
12:26I mean, I think the level is gone again to something,
12:31nothing bigger than what we experienced in the previous two months
12:34last season.
12:35That's the experience.
12:36And I know a lot of the coaches,
12:37and we had discussions about that as well.
12:39So it's frightening the way it's evolving,
12:41how competitive it is coming,
12:43how difficult it is to win.
12:44The margins really for why you win or not win in the Premier League
12:48is incredible.
12:49So, yeah, next season is going to be even more difficult, I think.
12:54We've seen a lot of people coming from the game last year
12:56to surprise people this year.
12:58We're not going to do that,
13:00so I know you all said a difficult time last couple of years
13:02against them,
13:03but do you think they could potentially be in that conversation
13:06in the title teams this year?
13:08Yeah, they certainly build the squad,
13:10they have the quality and a very clear identity,
13:12and on top of that it will be very dependable,
13:15you know, where they are,
13:16if teams are in Europe,
13:17not in Europe,
13:18playing once a week,
13:19three times a week.
13:20I think that's a massive change as well,
13:22and we have all experienced that.
13:24Hi.
13:25About the sum of this off the pitch,
13:29is there any relief that you are involved in the Club World Cup?
13:32Do you believe it?
13:36Well, I think we would love to be part of that,
13:38certainly,
13:39with the way the squad is at the moment,
13:42with the numbers that we had,
13:43that will put so much stress again in the squad.
13:46So, it's not a choice,
13:47we are not on it,
13:48but we have to plan, really,
13:50the squad that we're going to have to have available
13:52we want to be in these competitions,
13:54to win it as well,
13:55and we certainly have to evolve.
13:57There is a new transfer window,
13:59because of the Club World Cup,
14:01obviously that's primarily for the team now,
14:03but anyone can use it,
14:04does that create an opportunity for you?
14:06Well,
14:07when there is an opportunity,
14:09you can use it,
14:10in your benefit,
14:11do it.
14:12So,
14:13we are very much aware of that,
14:14and we see what we can do.
14:16And just,
14:17obviously, last time we went to Malveya,
14:18and that doesn't have to come to you,
14:20the players are demanding it.
14:22I mean,
14:23nowadays,
14:24I think it's impossible to have four,
14:26five,
14:27six weeks,
14:28on your sunbed,
14:30putting cream,
14:31and just ordering drinks,
14:33and then come back six weeks later,
14:35and go full gas tour,
14:37and play 65 games.
14:39I think it's impossible.
14:40Now,
14:41they demand themselves to be in the best possible condition.
14:43We are really lucky,
14:45because we have boys there,
14:46that they want to spend the summer with their families,
14:49and with them.
14:50So,
14:51they want to be together,
14:52as well.
14:53So,
14:54if they can pick a place that we can do that,
14:55we can facilitate that,
14:56more than welcome to do that.
14:58Just coming on from the,
15:00sort of early cancer window,
15:02we're seeing some clubs making some big moves,
15:04already,
15:05you know,
15:06relevant,
15:07being in-house,
15:08Liverpool,
15:09and everything,
15:10very, very close.
15:11Is that something that you would really like to do,
15:12ahead of this summer,
15:13in terms of your business,
15:14that you've acquired the business,
15:15and early as well?
15:16Yeah,
15:17on paper,
15:18I think,
15:19every club,
15:20every manager,
15:22and every player,
15:23wants to be on day one,
15:24in the building,
15:25and get that transition,
15:29and that adaptation,
15:30as quick as possible.
15:31The reality is,
15:32that sometimes it's possible,
15:33and sometimes it's very difficult,
15:34but,
15:35it is the ideal scenario on paper,
15:36yeah.
15:37I don't know if it is,
15:38we know,
15:39I think you ask any manager,
15:40at the end of the season,
15:41can you promise to be in the Champions League next season?
15:43I don't know who is going to say yes,
15:44there.
15:45So that tells you the story,
15:46because we know the difficulty,
15:47but as well,
15:48we understand the expectations,
15:49and how people think.
15:50But yeah,
15:51to get sustainability,
15:52and stability,
15:53and to be in the best possible way,
15:54and to be in the best possible way,
15:55and to also get back to the Champions League.
15:56as a football club,
15:57as a squad,
15:58as a team,
15:59certainly,
16:00you have to be in the competition.
16:01Yeah.
16:02Also,
16:03I don't know if it is,
16:04we know,
16:05I think you ask any manager,
16:06at the end of the season,
16:07can you promise to be in the Champions League next season?
16:09I don't know who is going to say yes,
16:10so that tells you the story,
16:11because we know the difficulty,
16:12but as well,
16:13we understand the expectations,
16:14and how people think.
16:15But yeah,
16:16to get sustainability,
16:17and stability,
16:18and to be in the best possible position,
16:20as a football club,
16:21as a squad,
16:22as a team,
16:23certainly,
16:24you have to be in the competition.
16:25I think,
16:26I'll say one second,
16:27it's like being a football club,
16:28it's like being a football club,
16:29and how you see it.
16:31Well,
16:32I know,
16:33how those words were used in the past,
16:35so I'm not going to fall into that trap.
16:39Finally, we'll go to Mel,
16:40in Spanish,
16:41finish the line.
16:42Hola.
16:43You can do the second one,
16:44the team.
16:45You have to be with the second one.
16:46You can do the first two,
16:47the first two.
16:48You can do the first two…
16:49You can go with the first.
16:50You can do the second one,
16:51with the first two is going to work on the team.
16:52We have to be excited about that.
16:53How are you doing this game for the team to promote what's going on in the past?
17:00With great ilusión. It's our last game at home,
17:04in front of our fans. We played with the second place in the Champions
17:08against a rival that has given us a lot of difficulties in the last part.
17:11So, with great ilusión, we have to win and win very well in the season.
17:15We thank our audience for the effort and the love that they have given us all year.
17:20It's been incredible again and it's going to end well in the season.