On the eve of a new Champions League campaign kicking off, Mikel Arteta believes our players are better equipped to go further than our quarter-final finish last season.
A year ago, we played our first game in the competition for six years, and our 4-0 win against PSV Eindhoven was a first taste of Europe’s premier competition for many of our players, including plenty of established international stars.
That enthusiasm took us all the way to the last eight for the first time since 2010, but 12 months on the squad have touched down in Italy ahead of our game against Atalanta with a lot more experience of what it takes to win at this elite level, Mikel feels they will have learnt from any mistakes to help them get off the perfect start at the Gewiss Stadium on Thursday night.
“That’s the aim,” he said in his pre-match press conference. “Last year was a great campaign for us. We got to a place where we hadn’t been as a club for 16 or 18 years, but we weren’t happy or satisfied at all because we want more. They showed their hunger. I think we have the ability, we certainly have the quality - and now we have to prove it.
“We learnt certain lessons and in certain aspects, we can do better. It’s as well being conscious that these are the top elite clubs in Europe and they know how to play and how to compete in games.
“Hopefully we have learned and we can show the composure, the determination and the belief that is very important at these stages. Tomorrow we know what we are going to be facing - and it’s going to be tough.”
The Champions League draw pitted us against the reigning Europa League holders away from home in our first game in the new-look competition, and a meeting with a side managed by the experienced Gian Piero Gasperini. He has transformed their fortunes since arriving as boss in 2016, qualifying them for the Champions League on four occasions, claiming three successive third-place finishes, and tasting European glory last term.
Having come up against the side from Bergamo during his time as assistant boss at Manchester City, Mikel knows how tough beating his fellow manager is, and is full of respect for his opposite number and what he has built in Bergamo.
“The club has an amazing story and what Gasperini has done is amazing,” Mikel added, “I have a big admiration for what he has done in his career, not only for Atalanta but for other clubs. He’s a very important figure and what they achieved last season was incredible.
“It’s very difficult to play against them! They have a particular playing style which you see week-in, week-out and it’s very challenging for opponents coming up against them. In the last two seasons, the Premier League has changed a lot, you’ve got a lot of squads that are doing similar things to them and we need to be prepared ahead of tomorrow.
“I spoke with Riccardo and Jorgi as they know the team very well, they know the players and it’s always very important information to get a hold of. They’ve played in some great games against this squad during the last few seasons, and they’ve done very well.”
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