Arteta:"I Was Pleased with the Performance Against Inter, I Knew Continuing Down That Path Would Lead to Good Results"

After Arsenal’s emphatic 5-1 away victory over Sporting CP in the fifth round of the UEFA Champions League, manager Mikel Arteta attended the post-match press conference.



Is this the most impressive away win in European competitions during your tenure?

"Certainly, especially against a team like this at their home ground. I believe they hadn’t lost here in 18 months. They’ve been in excellent form and perform better here than against others elsewhere. To play at this level with such fluidity is something I’m very satisfied with."

After the Inter match, you mentioned being pleased with the performance despite the result. Does today’s match vindicate that?

"Yes, the result was very different, but the qualities we showed against Inter pleased me. I knew if we continued along that path, we would achieve good results in Europe. Today, we replicated that performance and were more efficient in the opponent’s half. I’m thrilled because the team played with such bravery. Watching them from the sidelines made me realize just how good they are."

How good was Ødegaard tonight?

"He was outstanding once again. I think all the players were brilliant, though. Without that collective effort, we wouldn’t have dominated or secured this kind of scoreline. Everyone played exceptionally well today."

You’ve spoken about wanting the team to be more ruthless. Was that the most satisfying part?

"Yes, we need to avoid complacency. For a moment around the 39th or 40th minute, we fell into that trap, and I had to stop them because that’s not the direction we want to go. The players want control, but we didn’t handle that period well. Unfortunately, they scored early in the second half, which gave them some momentum, but we dealt with it superbly. It was a fantastic performance and an important win—we’re very pleased."

Was this a milestone victory?

"Absolutely. We’ve had similar performances against strong teams before—against PSG and Bayern, for instance—but we made mistakes that cost us. At this level, you have to handle those situations, and turning performances into victories builds confidence. We need that consistency because we’re capable of it."

What changed after halftime that led to such a strong second-half performance?

"A lot of things. For a long time, we’ve been training with just 11 or 12 players, as some weren’t fit to train or play. Now, nearly everyone is healthy and available. Although we’re still managing a few players carefully, having a full squad significantly raises the level. When everyone is fit, we’re a very strong team."

Was Gabriel substituted due to an injury?

"We’re not sure yet. We had to make the change because he felt some discomfort. I had planned to bring Sterling on—the poor guy didn’t get his chance—but we had to make adjustments."

Is this the best we’ve seen from Thomas Partey?

"I completely agree. It’s one of the best performances I’ve seen from him, particularly in how he controlled the game. This is the level he can reach. He’s been consistent this season, which is crucial, as availability is key. He’s such an important player for us."

Tonight, you more than doubled your goal tally in this competition. What was the key?

"It’s not just about the number of goals. We performed brilliantly across all aspects of the game. There were difficult moments, but when we attacked their goal, we were extremely efficient. That was the biggest difference today."