Coach Mikel Arteta: 'Arsenal is capable of winning the Champions League'

Mikel Arteta affirms that Arsenal is strong enough to claim the Champions League title and he will do whatever it takes to change the club’s legacy.

Mikel Arteta enters the season Champions League 2025/26 with a bold declaration that it is time for Arsenal to end their streak of failures on the European stage. He believes his team can compete for the trophy and is resolved to turn past pain into motivation to make history.

“With our long-standing history, it’s tough never having lifted the trophy. That’s the history we want to change,”Arteta said ahead of the opening match against Athletic Club at San Mames. In their 23 appearances in Europe’s premier competition, Arsenal have reached the final only once (losing to Barcelona in 2006) and made it to the semifinals three times. Most recently, they were eliminated last season by Paris Saint-Germain with an aggregate score of 1-3.

Despite the elimination, the Spanish coach remains confident: “We are good enough to challenge any opponent on match day. And above all, you need a bit of luck for things to go your way,”Arteta emphasized that the Champions League is a competition of fine margins, where a single decision or moment can determine the outcome.

Following last season’s semifinal, Arsenal invested up to £250 million in the summer to strengthen their squad. However, they start the new campaign without several key players: Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Ben White, and Gabriel Jesus are all sidelined due to injuries. Arteta remains optimistic: “I’m very excited to start again. Although we face a challenging stadium, this is a journey we eagerly anticipate.”

He acknowledged that the loss to PSG still stings: “The expectations we built, the belief we nurtured — all of it makes the defeat hurt even more. But it was a necessary lesson to move forward.” Arteta believes pressure should not be avoided but rather viewed as “an opportunity to fuel energy and the desire to improve every day.”.

Arsenal is considered the biggest club never to have won the Champions League, whereas other English clubs such as Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, and Manchester City have all lifted the trophy. “Big clubs have to try many times; sometimes it takes seven or eight attempts to succeed. But we will not stop,”he affirmed.

When asked about specific goals, Arteta did not shy away: “Winning is always the starting objective. But you have to understand this is a long journey, and you will fail more than you succeed. We must be consistent, improve daily, and believe we can achieve it.”

Although not at full strength for the first match, Arsenal still aims for a strong start and to gradually rebuild confidence. For Arteta, this is not just a new season but a chance to change the destiny of the entire club.

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