Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes his side has what it takes to win the Champions League this season as they prepare for their last-16 tie against PSV.
The Gunners’ Premier League title hopes took a hit last week after a goalless draw against Nottingham Forest at City Ground. The dropped points, coupled with Liverpool 2-0 win over Newcastle, saw Arsenal fall further behind in the title race, now trailing the league leaders by 13 points.
With their domestic aspirations fading, Arteta has set his sights on European glory. Arsenal progressed to the Champions League knockout stages after finishing third in the group stage, boasting a strong defensive record with just three goals conceded in eight matches the second-best tally behind Inter Milan.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta emphasized the team’s growth and consistency in Europe this season.
We cannot change it, we have to learn from it and take that into the next game. There are a lot of things we have learned this season in the Champions League about ourselves. We have played very differently home and away over the last year, especially in Europe, Arteta said.
“This year, we have been much more consistent. We have scored a lot of goals and barely conceded. We have only let in three goals and have the lowest Expected Goals against in the competition, which is great. That’s a big platform.
The Arsenal boss also highlighted the importance of defensive solidity in achieving success.
“When you look at the teams that have been very successful, the defensive record is critical. We have shown the capacity to score a lot of goals in the competition. This team still has a lot of resources to do that,” he added.
With Arsenal aiming to make a deep run in the Champions League, Arteta’s confidence in his squad will be put to the test as they take on PSV in their quest for European silverware.
