I am confident that we can triumph in Paris.
Mikel Arteta, Photo: Reuters
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed confidence that his team can overcome Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final, emphasizing his disappointment over the loss in the first leg.
“This is only the first half; I’ve said it before after our victory over Real Madrid at home in the quarter-finals. We are heading to Paris to win, and I wholeheartedly believe we can do it. Both teams exhibit incredible quality. We’ll have our opportunities, and we need to capitalize on them,” Arteta remarked, according to the club’s website.
In the first leg on Tuesday, Arsenal fell 1-0 to Paris Saint-Germain at home in London.
“We are quite disheartened with the outcome because we deserved more. The start was tough, especially after their early goal from a well-executed play. They showcased the quality to breach our defense and finish effectively. However, I believe the team improved significantly as the match progressed,” Arteta stated.
The Arsenal coach noted that while his team executed many positive actions during the match, the scoreline did not reflect their efforts.
“I recognize we faced a top team and performed well in many areas, but sadly, the result doesn’t mirror those efforts,” Arteta mentioned.
He also highlighted the slim margin for errors and lamented missed opportunities by Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossar.
“The margin for error is very narrow. We had two significant chances, likely the best of the match, with Gabi and Leo going one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Gianluigi Donnarumma saved both attempts, and then Mikel Merino’s goal was ruled out. That illustrates the small margins, and sadly, we couldn’t find the back of the net,” he added.
The second leg is set for May 7th in Paris, with the winner facing either Barcelona or Inter in the Champions League final.
“To win the Champions League or reach the final, one must achieve something extraordinary at certain points in the competition. This is what we need to strategize and execute when we arrive in Paris shortly,” Arteta concluded.
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