Arteta sends Arsenal stars Champions League advice after "scared" admission

20 September 2023 , 18:05

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Mikel Arteta has discussed his players earning their first Champions League outing

Mikel Arteta has encouraged his Arsenal players to avoid being fearful of what's at stake when they contest the club's first Champions League clash for six years.

The Gunners welcome Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven to the Emirates and given the length of time between that meeting and Arsenal's last outing in the same competition, which came in March 2017, much of the squad has changed. In turn, that means only 11 of the club's 25-man squad have played any minutes in the Champions League.

The likes of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Benjamin White are all in line to make their debuts in the competition. As a result, Arteta has offered up some words of wisdom and recalled how he felt when the time came for his first Champions League appearance back in 2001.

"I went from playing in the second division [in Spain] and a week later I was playing with PSG in the San Siro, looking at [Paolo] Maldini, [Alessandro] Costacurta – and I was scared," he said in his pre-match press conference. "I was in the tunnel looking at them, they all looked immaculate and I was just a 17-year-old boy [thinking], 'I don’t know if I am ready for this!'

"The lesson probably is that you feel like this, [but] once you are on the pitch, just do what you do every single day and treat it in a natural way. Go for it, like we always do."

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For all the talk of the players making their Champions League debut, the contest will also see Arteta oversee his first clash in the competition as a manager. Pressed for comment on how it felt to be the man who has brought Arsenal back into the tournament after six years away, the Spaniard could barely hide his delight.

"Proud and excited I would say," Arteta explained. "It’s been a long time for the club since we’ve been in the competition and obviously the first time for me as a manager as well. Really looking forward to it.

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Mikel Arteta is gearing up for his Champions League managerial debut (PA)

"Yes, and we’ve been chasing it and fighting for it and now we’ve got it. Now we have to make the most out of it and it starts at home. I’m sure our all supporters will be really excited for it and to manage that and to as well enjoy the challenge."

Arsenal's first meeting comes against PSV, but they will fancy themselves as group favourites given their other ties come against Ligue One outfit Lens and Spanish side Sevilla.

Josh O'Brien