Tribal Football

Arteta urges Arsenal players to believe in Champions League chances

Paul Vegas
Arteta urges Arsenal players to believe in Champions League chances
Arteta urges Arsenal players to believe in Champions League chancesAction Plus
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has told his players they're Champions League contenders ahead of tonight's clash with PSV.

The Gunners already have the round 16 tie wrapped up after winning 7-1 in Eindhoven for the first-leg.

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Ahead of tonight's second-leg, Arteta urged his players to believe in their chances.

“We have done a lot and probably the most exciting part is coming up right now,” said Arteta.

“And we have to make sure that’s why tomorrow that we finish the job in the way that we want to do, to put ourselves in a great position to go again.

“We have been extremely consistent in the competition. We have been very, very good and now we have continue.

“I have full belief as well that we can compete against any team. It is on those days getting the best out of ourselves and controlling every detail, because when you get to those stages that is what is going to define the moment to go through or not.”

 

 

On rotations, Arteta continued: “It is unique but it's also understanding how the game was played a week ago and the fact that everything went in the right direction for us from the beginning. We're going to have to earn the right tomorrow to go in the same direction, so we’re fully focused on that.

“We understand what happened in the first game and the direction that it could have taken in the first 10 minutes. After all the control that we had, if we give the goal away or if the referee would have given the second yellow card to Myles, it's very simple. This is football, you have to earn it and we're going to have to do a great job tomorrow again to win the game.”

Youngsters like Nathan Butler-Oyedeji could also be handed a new chance.

Arteta added, “They've been extremely helpful, and bringing so much to the team.

“Whenever you have the opportunity to any player to say thank you or to give minutes, which in the end is the way of telling them that we trust you and we appreciate what you do for us, we will do.”