Arsenal's hopes of progressing to the Champions League semi-finals was dashed on wednesday night, after they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich.Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, has sent a heartfelt message to the club's supporters, acknowledging their disappointment while expressing determination for the future.
According to a post by Fabrizio Romano, Mikel Arteta said: "We haven’t played in the competition for seven years; we haven’t been in this position for 14 years. There’s a reason for it, and we want to do everything fast," Arteta remarked, recognizing the prolonged absence from top-tier European competition.
Reflecting on the narrow margins that separated Arsenal from a semifinal berth, Arteta emphasized the rapid progress made by the team. "Fast forward, super quick in one season and after we had the capacity and the quality to be in the semi-final, because the margins have been very small," he noted, highlighting the team's potential.
However, Arteta acknowledged the need for further development, suggesting that certain intangibles might be lacking. "But those margins sometimes are coming from something else, that maybe we don’t have yet. We have to learn it," he admitted, hinting at the importance of experience and mental strength in high-stakes competitions.
Drawing on historical precedents, Arteta reminded fans that success often requires patience and perseverance. "When you look historically, all the clubs to get to certain stages, it took them seven, eight, some of them 10 years to do it," he observed, underlining the arduous journey towards elite status in European football.