Mikel Arteta joined in with the Arsenal Premier League title celebrations late on Tuesday night, but he wasn’t present with the squad when the trophy was confirmed.
Those following all of the videos and images shared of Arsenal’s Premier League title win on Tuesday night may have noticed that Mikel Arteta is conspicuously absent from all of them.
Whilst the first-team squad at London Colney celebrated Manchester City’s pivotal failure to beat AFC Bournemouth, Arteta wasn’t visible among them, which was because he’d apparently opted to watch the game at home instead.
The manager had revealed that plan to the media the previous day, saying: “No, I haven’t planned to do that (watch with the players). I’m planning to watch it with my family.”
Ryan Taylor reports for the Mirror that Arteta did eventually link up with the squad later in the night, when they travelled to London nightclub Tape to continue the celebrations.
The Arsenal manager reportedly danced with his players and some fans, and Noni Madueke took the microphone and started rapping. The majority of those in attendance were Arsenal players and staff, though a few lucky members of the public were also there.
Presumably, Arteta will eventually make an appearance and share a message or reaction with the supporters, but at this point it’s looking like we might have to wait for his pre-Crystal Palace press conference.
It’s not often in football, as a player or a manager, that you get to celebrate trophy success at home with your family. In general, you do so in public, in front of the TV cameras, with your family sitting up in the stands – if you’re lucky.
Arteta will still get the chance to celebrate in public this weekend, when Arsenal lift the trophy at Selhurst Park. But it seems he took advantage of a rare opportunity to share the winning moment with his family on Tuesday.
- Rice credits Arteta and Jover for set-piece transformationDeclan Rice says Mikel Arteta and Nico Jover saw a set-piece quality in him that others had missed before England benefited.
- Home nations discover Women’s World Cup play-off pathsEurope’s 2027 Women’s World Cup play-off route is set, with England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all discovering their paths.
- Saka fitness boost for EnglandBukayo Saka has returned to normal England training before the World Cup game against Ghana after managing an Achilles issue.
- Ex-Gunner to leave 1st managerial role after just 8 gamesAshley Cole is set to leave Cesena after just eight games, with the Serie B club unlikely to extend his short-term contract.
- First Women’s Champions League 26/27 ties are confirmedArsenal will enter the Women’s Champions League in the league phase after UEFA drew the first two qualifying rounds.