“Incredible, magnificent, extraordinary” – Arteta praises star following key away victory | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta was “extremely happy” after his side’s 1-0 win against Sporting CP in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.

Kai Havertz’s goal made the difference in a tightly contested game, but Arteta was pleased with how his team controlled the match.

“Extremely happy,” said the head coach. “Obviously, it was a big night and an important moment in the season, especially considering where we’re coming from. I think we had a point to prove.”

“Yesterday, I talked about identity and what I wanted to see on the pitch -it certainly happened. We played against a very tricky, difficult opponent, which is why they had won 17 games in a row here. They haven’t lost for a long time, and we really had to earn it.

“We had moments of real dominance in and around the box, but sometimes we lacked a bit of crispness—the movement could have been sharper, and the final ball better. Still, we took the game to where we wanted it.

At the same time, we knew they were extremely dangerous when they had space to run, and there was a moment when David had to intervene brilliantly. Again, the story of our season is that the finish comes at the most important moments, and that made the difference for us.”

Arteta also praised goalkeeper David Raya, who made crucial saves at the right moments.

“He’s extraordinary, magnificent, incredible. I don’t even know the right adjective. And with that, it’s enough. We are so happy to have him.”

The win is a big boost for the Gunners after losing back-to-back games. Arteta said the team can build on this momentum for the final two months of the season.

“That’s when you go through a difficult period. The best thing you can do is observe – look around you, see how people react, how they speak, how they behave, whether they reflect on themselves or start blaming others.

“Look at the environment and the people around you. I cannot be prouder to work in a club where the only question people ask is, ‘What else can I do to help?’ When you have people like this, I’m confident that something good will happen at the end because we deserve it.”