LONDON : Seven years after returning to a divided and drifting Arsenal side, manager Mikel Arteta stands one match away from delivering the club’s first Champions League title and completing a remarkable transformation.
Arsenal face Paris St Germain in Saturday’s final seeking to crown a season that has already seen them win their first Premier League title since 2004 after years of falling short.
Arteta, appointed in 2019 after serving as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City, has rebuilt Arsenal through a blend of tactical discipline, relentless pressing and a strong collective culture rather than simply replicating Guardiola’s possession-heavy blueprint.
“We have raised different standards now, and now we have to go to the next level,” Arteta said this week.
The Spaniard inherited a club struggling for direction following the final years of Arsene Wenger’s reign and has repeatedly stressed the importance of identity and mentality in restoring Arsenal’s competitiveness.
Attention to detail has also played a major role in Arsenal’s rise. Set-piece coach Nicolas Jover has transformed corners into a major attacking weapon, with Arsenal breaking the Premier League record for goals scored from corners this season.
Arteta also reshaped the atmosphere at the club’s London Colney training base, promoting unity, accountability and team bonding within the squad.
Former Everton manager David Moyes said Arteta had developed the “dark arts” needed to turn Arsenal into winners, with the side now capable of grinding out results as well as dominating opponents.
After years of rebuilding and near-misses, Arsenal now have the chance to secure the biggest prize in European club football against a PSG side with whom Arteta spent part of his playing career.
“We have an amazing opportunity to write new history in our football club,” Arteta said.
