Mikel Arteta tells Arsenal players to get 'excited' about genuine challenge for Champions League trophy | OneFootball

European glory the last realistic hope of silverware success for Gunners this season

Confident: Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal can challenge for the Champions League this season

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The Champions League is now Arsenal’s most realistic chance of winning a trophy this season as they are 15 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.

The Gunners are on the cusp of making the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the second year in a row.

They are 7-1 up on aggregate going into the second leg of their last-16 tie with PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday.

If they get through that, Arsenal will face either Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid in the next round.

Arteta has “full belief” Arsenal can compete with them and any other sides still in the Champions League.

“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 [about] 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.”

Arsenal defender William Saliba has echoed Arteta’s words and insisted the Gunners fear no one as they enter crunch time in the Champions League.

“If we don’t believe or if we don’t dream to win the Champions League there is no point to play,” he said.

“We are here, this season with the new format it was not easy to be qualified. Now we’ve won the first game [against PSV], tomorrow we’ve got a good chance to win a game and to be qualified.

“After, there is four games before the final. We can do it, we all believe that we can do it. We have to work and pray as well.

“We are sad when we don’t win a trophy but we have to keep believing because we are here. We won the first game last week and if we win or draw we are in the quarter-final then anything can happen. We have to believe in ourselves and everyone thinks we can do it.”