Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is hoping to take Arsenal to the next level with victory in the UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain this weekend.
The Gunners reached their first final in 20 years after defeating Atletico Madrid 2-1 on aggregate.
They met PSG in last season’s semi-finals with the Parisians winning 3-1 on aggregate. Arteta is however confident his team have a good shot at winning it for the very first time.
“This is where we are right now, and now we have to go to the next level, and the next level is going to happen in Budapest, to go and win the Champions League, and we know that,” the Spaniard told Sky Sports.
“Our only focus now is to achieve that goal. The energy has been incredible around the place with the boys, with everybody, because we have a lot of families, a lot of people who know each other, a lot of people connected in and around the club.
“And you see the joy, but you see as well the ambition. We’ve done that, but now we want this one.
“And with the journey that we had in the Champions League this season, I think we need to be very confident. that we have the ability to go and win it.”
Celebrating the Premier League
Arsenal lifted the Premier League trophy for the first time in 22 years during Sunday’s season finale at Crystal Palace.
Arteta stressed that celebrating the title was necessary to channel the energy into Saturday’s final in Budapest.
“We need to [celebrate] because we need that energy to flow and going against that, I think it will be a big mistake,” he added.
“We’ve already talked about what we have to do in Budapest, how we’re going to use all the incredible energy that we’re all carrying towards that final and we’re going to start to prepare for it.
“We can’t wait to write for the new chapter in the history of our club and win the Champions League.”
