LONDON — Fresh from shattering Arsenal’s 22-year Premier League title drought, a defiant Mikel Arteta has declared he is “fully convinced” his side can complete an extraordinary double by conquering Europe for the very first time this weekend.
The Gunners are scheduled to clash with reigning European heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain in a blockbuster Champions League final on Saturday in Budapest. The historic fixture arrives in the wake of emotional scenes across north London, after Arsenal finally replicated the feat of the legendary 2004 “Invincibles” by sealing the domestic league crown.
Standing in their way is a star-studded PSG squad that enters the showpiece event as heavy favorites. The French giants have established a formidable reputation in the tournament, having ruthlessly dismantled Inter Milan 5-0 in last season’s final. Yet, Arteta insists the immense psychological wave generated by conquering England will give his players the necessary edge to defy the oddsmakers.
”You could sense the energy, you can sense the positivity and the confidence in the players and everybody around the club,” Arteta said. “We have an amazing opportunity to write new history in our football club, and we are convinced that we’re going to do it. We will fly to Budapest on Thursday fully convinced that in a few days’ time we can be champions of Europe.”
The 44-year-old manager was speaking at the League Managers Association (LMA) annual awards dinner in central London, where he was formally crowned Premier League Manager of the Year following Arsenal’s spectacular, record-breaking domestic campaign.
A Journey of Near-Misses Realized
Accepting the prestigious accolade in front of his peers, the former Everton and Arsenal midfielder reflected on the gruelling journey required to restore the club to the pinnacle of English football.
”First of all, thank you so much for giving me this award. It’s an immense honour,” Arteta expressed. “You’re related to some of the great managers and all the colleagues that are in this room. It’s been a fascinating journey for a few years. We’ve been knocking on the door, we’ve been trying, we fell short a few times, and to actually win it made it so special.”
In a classy moment during his acceptance speech, Arteta took time to look back on his introduction to British football, offering a heartfelt nod to his former manager David Moyes, who originally signed him for Everton in 2005.
Credit to the Backroom Unit
Arteta also directed heavy praise toward his coaching staff, labeling his backroom team as the foundational pillar behind Arsenal’s modern transformation.
”They’ve been an inspiration, they’ve been extremely supportive with me,” the Spaniard added. “They made me enjoy this profession in a way that probably I could not imagine.”
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With the domestic celebrations now firmly concluded, Arsenal’s focus pivots entirely to Hungary. Should Arteta’s squad manage to dethrone the Parisian champions on Saturday, this current crop of Gunners will not just step out of the shadow of the 2004 Invincibles—they will secure a continental legacy that eluded even Arsène Wenger’s greatest teams.
