Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has admitted to dreaming of lifting the UEFA Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.
Ahead of their round of 16 first-leg game against FC Porto in Portugal, Arteta talks about the feeling of lifting the Champions League with the Gunners. “It should be incredible to have that feeling, to lift that cup, in London on June 1.
“It is there. It is in our minds. It is a dream,”, the Arsenal boss said, as reported by the Sun
Arteta charges the Gunners
Not forgetting that achieving such a fit will not come on a platter, Arteta expresses how his team needs to show they are deserving of such achievement, starting with this game against the Portuguese club.
“There are a lot of things you have to earn the right to do before a final and in Porto we have a big obstacle ahead of us.
“You’ve been out of the competition for two or three months and face a very different stage.
“All the teams are top and there’s little time to prepare for games.
“The ball is rolling and you have to be ready because the teams are very prepared and dangerous. We are really looking forward to it.”, he also added, according to the Sun.
The North-London club last played in the Champions League in 2017, when they were annihilated by the German Champions Bayern Munich at this same stage of the competition, ending in a 10-2 scoreline on aggregate, which made it their seventh consecutive round of 16 exit.
On their return to the biggest European football stage, Arsenal came out top of their group with 13 points, ahead of Dutch club PSV Eindoven
The Gunners are handed a boost as Portuguese midfielder Fabio Vieira, who has been out for months, returns, after recovering from a groin injury. He has travelled with the club and could feature in tonight’s game against his former club.
