'Exceptional' Arsenal out to dominate at Atletico: Arteta

TL;DR

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta praised his team as 'exceptional' ahead of their Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid, aiming to dominate despite recent criticism. The Gunners are boosted by a recent victory over Newcastle and are determined to make a statement in the tournament.

Key points

Mikel Arteta defends Arsenal's quality ahead of Champions League semi-final.
Arsenal recently beat Newcastle, boosting team morale.
Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber are unavailable for the match.
Arsenal has never won the Champions League, finishing as runners-up in 2006.
Martin Odegaard emphasizes the importance of enjoying high-stakes matches.

Mentioned in this story

Mikel ArtetaKai HavertzJurrien TimberEberechi EzeRiccardo CalafioriMartin Odegaard

ArsenalAtletico MadridParis Saint-Germain

Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta backed his team despite recent criticism and said they would try to dominate Atletico Madrid (Javier SORIANO) (Javier SORIANO/AFP/AFP) Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta defended his "exceptional" side against criticism on Tuesday and backed them to prove their quality in the Champions League semi-final clash against Atletico Madrid. The Premier League leaders scraped a 1-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday after a run of three matches without victory. Arsenal have struggled to play with fluidity in attack and Arteta agreed his team could improve in that regard, but said reaching the final four was evidence enough of their quality. "We have to do better... (and) we want to improve in every department," Arteta told reporters on Tuesday. "But at the same time, to be where we are sitting here tonight, we have to be exceptional, one of the top four teams in Europe to be here. So imagine how difficult that is." Arteta said his team's morale was boosted by beating Newcastle to provisionally move ahead of Manchester City in the English title race and backed them to dominate against Diego Simeone's side in the Spanish capital. "After that win, a massive win for us against Newcastle, you could sense straight away the energy, the confidence coming into this game," continued Arteta. "It's a massive privilege to be here again, two years in a row, in the semi-finals of the Champions League, representing our club and it's quite an opportunity. "We're going to grab it with both hands. You're going to see a team that wants to be dominant, that wants to win it, that wants to start to decide the tie tomorrow." Arsenal have never won the competition, finishing runners-up in 2006, and 20 years on are looking to return to the final. "These are the stages we want to be in, and we have earned it through incredible work, passion and quality in the last nine months," said Arteta. "Now is the moment to make a statement and show how good we are, how much we want it, and make it happen. "It's clear, the opportunity is in front of us, and we have to attack it." The coach confirmed and will not be fit to play but said and were ready. Severe storms are forecast in Madrid on Wednesday but Arteta brushed off their potential impact on the first leg. "Imagine the amount of games that we have played in different scenarios, different contexts, against different opponents," he said. "We'll adapt to the conditions tomorrow in the best way possible to be ourselves and win the game."

Q&A

What did Mikel Arteta say about Arsenal's performance against Atletico Madrid?

Mikel Arteta described his team as 'exceptional' and expressed confidence in their ability to dominate Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final.

How has Arsenal's recent form affected their confidence?

Arsenal's morale was boosted by a crucial 1-0 win over Newcastle, which Arteta believes has energized the team ahead of the match against Atletico Madrid.

Which players will miss the match against Atletico Madrid?

Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber will not be fit to play against Atletico Madrid, while Eberechi Eze and Riccardo Calafiori are ready to participate.

What challenges does Arsenal face in the Champions League semi-finals?

Arsenal aims to overcome the pressure of past near misses, including last season's semi-final defeat by Paris Saint-Germain, as they strive to reach the final for the first time since 2006.