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Arteta praises his squad after brilliant Madrid triumph

By on April 17, 2025

Arsenal delivered a strong performance to book a place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, easing past Real Madrid in stunning fashion.

The Gunners went into the second leg with a solid 3-0 lead from the first match in London.

They followed it up with a confident 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli helped Arsenal seal the win. It is just the third time in the club’s history that they have reached the semi-finals of the competition.

Arteta full of praise after landmark win

Speaking after the game, manager Mikel Arteta expressed pride in his team and praised their mindset and ambition.

“I am so happy, I think it is the third time in our history, so I have to be very proud to be there again. The team has shown incredible ambition, courage and willingness to compete against any opposition. It is not only the fact that we are there, I think it is the manner in which we have done it, both in London and here in Madrid, so I am really proud of the players.”

Arteta also spoke about the experience of coaching at the Santiago Bernabeu for the first time. He highlighted the power of the stadium and the strength of his young squad.

“It was my first time as a coach here, and today I realised how everything is possible in this stadium because they generate such chaos, such momentum. The crowd is really pushing them and anything can happen. But I think emotionally, especially after conceding, not scoring the goal with Bukayo, the way we handled that situation. These young players have not been at this stage before, so it was remarkable.”

Focus shifts to PSG in the Semi-final clash

Arteta explained how the team came to Madrid with only one plan—to win the game and do it their way.

“The only thing that we discussed over the last three days was that we are coming here to win,” he added. “It is not only about going through, it is in the manner that we have to do it in, because we are capable of doing it. Setting those demands and that mindset is very important for the team.”

He praised the players again and pointed to the challenge ahead against Paris Saint-Germain.

“I think it shows the capacity of the team, that against any opponent, when we are at our best, we can perform. Especially with adversity and a lot of players that are not even involved here. The way we are doing it, I think it is special.”

“Now we have to go to the semi-final against a team that we know very well, that we have already faced before. It is going to be a beautiful one.”

Arsenal will now be aiming to go one step further by reaching the Champions League final. They are still chasing their first ever title in the tournament.