Mikel Arteta has revealed that he spoke to Pep Guardiola ahead of Arsenal’s win over Real Madrid, insisting that it’s the smart move to learn from people with experience.
For all the experience that Mikel Arteta has as a manager at this stage, he’d never come up against Real Madrid in a competitive fixture until Tuesday night. Arsenal’s last game against the club was in 2006, before Arteta even joined as a player, let alone a head coach.
By contrast, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side have faced Real Madrid regularly, with nine matches between the two in the last five years, including a play-off tie this February.
When Arteta was asked if he’d be contacting Guardiola for tips ahead of the quarter-final second leg next week, the Arsenal boss responded that he’d already reached out to the City manager before the first leg.
“I have learned a lot from him,” Arteta said. “From professional and personal situations. In the last few days, we’ve talked, because I felt like talking to him.
“And I think he also wanted to talk to me because he is very happy about the good things that happen to us. Learning from the best and those who have had experiences, I think it’s a thing smart people do.
“And I have been very lucky to have very good people who have helped me a lot.”
If Guardiola gave Arteta any good advice ahead of Tuesday’s game, the Arsenal boss clearly passed it on to his players, who were at their very best to win the first leg 3-0.
Funnily enough, the win secured the coefficient points necessary for the Premier League to have a fifth spot in the Champions League next season, which is very good news for Manchester City.
As it stands, City are sixth in the Premier League, despite having played a game more than Newcastle United a point above them. Guardiola’s side have a more realistic shot at catching Chelsea, who are also a point ahead but with the same number of games remaining.
Overtaking both would have been a big ask, so Arsenal’s win has given City’s hopes of Champions League football a bit of a boost.