Arsenal Celebrations Defended By Arteta After Reaching Champions League Final

Mikel Arteta has backed Arsenal’s players after criticism of their celebrations, stressing the team’s progress as they chase both the Champions League title and the Premier League crown following a dramatic week in north London.

Arsenal reached a first Champions League final in 20 years by defeating Atletico Madrid 1-0 in the second leg at the Emirates Stadium, completing a 2-1 aggregate win to secure a showdown with Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest on May 30 and extend their unbeaten run in this season’s competition to 14 matches.

The celebrations on the pitch and in the stands drew criticism from some observers, including Wayne Rooney, who felt the reaction was premature, describing Arsenal’s scenes as "a little bit too much having not actually won the trophy yet." Arteta accepted that opinions will differ but dismissed any suggestion the players had crossed a line.

Asked about Rooney’s comments, Arteta replied: "I didn't know about it, but you have to respect every opinion and place them where they belong. It is not important," before adding: "I'm assuming that the criticism is positive and negative. That makes you better. You want to set higher standards and perform at levels that can help you compete for the two most prestigious competitions in Europe. You have to be prepared for that because it does make you better, that's for certain."

Reaching the final also allowed Arsenal to match a long-standing club landmark, as this victory became their 41st of the season in all competitions, equalling the total set in the 1970-71 campaign when the club claimed both the First Division title and the FA Cup, underlining the scale of the current squad’s achievements.

With European action paused until the Budapest final, Arsenal now switch their focus back to domestic matters and a tight Premier League title race, heading to West Ham on Sunday knowing the lead at the top of the table could be cut before they play.

Arteta’s side currently sit five points ahead of Manchester City but Pep Guardiola’s team face Brentford a day earlier, meaning victory for City would trim the margin to two points before Arsenal kick off at London Stadium, adding extra pressure to a crucial away fixture.

Recent meetings with West Ham in the league offer encouragement for Arsenal, who won 6-0 away in the 2023-24 season and 5-2 on their visit last season, yet the hosts are battling near the bottom of the table and need points, creating a different type of challenge for the leaders.

Looking ahead to Sunday, Arteta said: "Understanding the context of the game for both clubs, it's huge, obviously," and continued: "We know the process of it, we know what we want and what we have to do to win the game. [We need to] stay present, live in the moment, prepare, and show the same level of energy, hunger, and desire that we've shown all season, or more. Because we are closer and closer, and everything that we do now is going to matter to win it or not."

Arsenal now balance preparations for the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain with the demands of a tense Premier League run-in, aiming to turn an already historic campaign of records and milestones into one that also delivers major silverware on both domestic and European fronts.