Arsenal Boss Mikel Arteta Credits Pep Guardiola For Champions League Success Against Real Madrid

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Arsenal's Mikel Arteta expressed gratitude to Pep Guardiola for his guidance before Arsenal's significant Champions League win against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. Entering the second leg of the quarter-final with a 3-0 advantage, Arsenal dispelled any fears of a Madrid comeback. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli scored, securing a 2-1 victory and setting up a semi-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

Arteta described the triumph as one of his career highlights and shared that he consulted Guardiola, his former mentor at Manchester City, on Wednesday morning. "I called him because if I am here, it is thanks to him to a great extent," Arteta stated about their conversation. He acknowledged Guardiola's influence during their time together from 2016 to 2019, expressing deep appreciation for those years.

This marks Arsenal's third appearance in the Champions League semi-finals, their first since the 2008-09 season. The Gunners reached the final only once before, ending as runners-up in the 2005-06 campaign. Arteta emphasized the team's ambition: "Our team is very hungry and we want to keep on doing great things."

The achievement also highlights English clubs' strong presence in the competition, advancing to the semi-finals for the 30th time. Only Spanish teams have more appearances with 38. Arteta joins an elite group as the 10th Spanish manager to reach this stage, with Italy having one more coach achieving this feat.

Reflecting on personal moments after the match, Arteta mentioned his family: "The first thing I thought when the game finished was of my wife and my children because they've heard all week about what can happen in this stadium." Their presence made him proud amidst the high-stakes environment.

Arsenal will face PSG in their upcoming semi-final match on April 29. The Gunners previously defeated PSG 2-0 at home during October’s group stage encounter. This sets an exciting backdrop for their next meeting as both teams aim for a spot in the final.

Arteta remains focused on maintaining momentum: "We want to keep playing at semi-finals," he said, acknowledging challenges ahead but also emphasizing enjoyment of these moments. His leadership continues to inspire Arsenal as they strive for further success on Europe's grandest stage.