Mikel Arteta
‘We must play with a winning mentality’
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Arteta on MilanSpanish midfielder discusses Champions League first leg
By Rob Kelly
Mikel Arteta has called on Arsenal to take a winning mentality into Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg against AC Milan.
The Gunners became the first English club to beat the Italians at the San Siro when they won 2-0 at the same stage of the competition in 2008.
And Arteta believes a positive attitude will be the key to further Gunners success when they take on the Italian champions this time around.
“We are playing a really good team. We need to go with a winning mentality and [know] that we can score goals over there,” he told Arsenal Player.
“Scoring a goal in Italy could make a big difference, so we need to be really concerned about what we do from the first minute, knowing there is a second leg at home and we will have our fans right behind us.
“Italian sides are very tough and very experienced. If you give them half chances, they take them. We know we cannot make any mistakes over the two legs so we really have to concentrate.”
With three teams in the last 16, Italy have more representatives than any other nation this season and Arteta feels this points to a Serie A resurgence.
“Italian teams have been really successful but in the last few years England have been up there with the best, having three teams in the semi-finals or quarter-finals every year,” he said.
“This year it has changed, so it means that Italian teams are really strong again.”
Watch the full interview with Mikel on Arsenal Player.
[Wednesday, February 15, 2012]
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