Arteta makes a firm statement as Arsenal reach the final

Thrilled by the victory over Chelsea that booked their place in the final, manager Mikel Arteta showered Kai Havertz with compliments and affirmed Arsenal’s readiness to triumph at Wembley.

Following a narrow 1-0 win at Emirates (winning 4-2 on aggregate), Mikel Arteta couldn’t hide his pride in his players.

Despite missing two key players, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, due to injury, Arsenal still displayed a cohesive and resilient style of play. The defense, led by William Saliba and Gabriel, stifled all of Chelsea’s attempts, limiting them to just one shot on target throughout the match.

Reflecting on his feelings after the game, the Spanish tactician said: “We are very happy. After the last two matches, we deserved to win. We finished the game in an excellent way.”

He also emphasized the electric atmosphere in the dressing room: “You could see the joy, smiles, and energy in the locker room. We understand that what we have done is truly impressive.”

The focus of all attention was none other than Kai Havertz – the player who scored the decisive goal against his former club. Arteta was visibly moved when speaking about his pupil:

“Amazing! Not just me, but everyone who knows him likes Havertz. He deserves this because of how hard he works, how he treats others, and today was a special moment for him.”

Havertz’s brilliance not only secured the advancement but also served as a strong rebuttal to doubters, confirming his importance in Arteta’s tactical setup.

This victory brings Arsenal back to a major cup final at Wembley for the first time since 2022. However, instead of getting carried away by the win, Arteta keeps his players grounded:

“We will be there in a few weeks. But we need to put that aside because we have a very important Premier League match in three days.”

Arteta expects the experience from such high-stakes matches to help the team grow: “I hope so. It’s about learning from different experiences.”

With the passionate support of their home fans on a cold, rainy night, Arsenal demonstrated they are ready to compete for every trophy this season.