In his pre-match press conference, Mikel Arteta addressed the complexities surrounding this weekend’s clash against Manchester City, highlighting his respect for his former mentor Pep Guardiola while emphasising Arsenal’s determination to win.
This weekend, the friendship between Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola will take a back seat as Arsenal and Manchester City face off in a crucial Premier League title race clash. Arteta, in his pre-match press conference, shared his profound respect and admiration for Guardiola, his mentor and friend, stating, “It [his relationship with Pep] had to change, but my admiration and what I feel for him, certainly not. In my opinion, he is the best coach in the world by a mile and is one of the nicest people that I have met in football, certainly one of the ones that I have had more fun and a laugh working with, and that’s going to stay there forever.”
As Arsenal prepares to challenge Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, Arteta highlighted the complexity of their professional roles intersecting with personal connections, noting, “Obviously our roles at the moment are what they are and you have to adapt to the situation. It is what it is, but that happens the same in relationships with players. I had some teammates here and then you become the coach and that relationship has to adapt. You cannot feel differently about the person but professionally you have to act differently.”
Despite the competitive tension, Arteta expressed a preference for a less emotionally charged rivalry, “Probably I would prefer to do it [fight for titles] against somebody else, so I don’t have those feelings! But it’s not the choice and it’s what it is, and that’s it. People want to win; we know each other very well and we’ll prepare the game to win it.”
Reflecting on Guardiola’s influence and work ethic, Arteta added, “I know the passion that he lives the game, the intelligence, the way he handles his team and the club as well, and how demanding he is, and then he has an incredible work ethic. That’s something that people don’t see; it’s a lot of work behind the scenes and he’s managed to do it for three different clubs at the top league level every single season, and that’s a huge quality.”
Ahead of the game, Arteta also touched upon the health of his squad, including the potential participation of key players Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel, “There is a chance. They haven’t trained but tomorrow we have another session so there is a chance that they can be available.” He further discussed the implications of the international break on team momentum and the psychological edge gained from previous victories over City.
“You can’t do anything about it [the break], that moment is gone,” he said. “They had to go to their national teams and we have maximised as much as we possibly could during the time we had here with certain players. Now everybody’s back and so positive about what is coming and looking forward to it.
“We had some clashes as well in the FA Cup and Community Shields and it’s all great experiences. They have raised the bar in this league, and I think in football in general too, to a level that hasn’t been seen before. That’s the beauty of sport, it makes you better and challenges you more. You have to keep up with that pace, and that’s what we are trying to do.”
With Arsenal aiming for a third win against Manchester City this season, Arteta’s belief in his team is unwavering, “I have full belief and trust in my players and what we are trying to do. It’s something that we have to show on the pitch, outside is very easy to talk.”