Arsenal press conference – Mikel Arteta on Real Madrid, latest team news and Bukayo Saka

Arsenal press conference – Mikel Arteta on Real Madrid, latest team news and Bukayo Saka

Mikel Arteta faces the media ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium

Mikel Arteta faces the media before his Arsenal side take on Real Madrid (Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Mikel Arteta faces the press ahead of Arsenal’s massive UEFA Champions League clash with Real Madrid at the Emirates Stadium. The first of two legs with the second played in the Bernabeu next week.

Arteta has now welcomed back Bukayo Saka into his Arsenal squad as he looks to take the fight to Carlo Ancelotti’s side. Two substitute performances are under the England international’s belt which comes as a big boost.

Equally for the opposition, Ancelotti has been able to include Thibaut Courtois in his squad having missed several weeks through injury. Los Blancos lost at the weekend to Valencia and could have some vulnerabilities that Arteta will look to exploit.

You can hear everything Arteta has to say on all that and much more with football.london’s chief Arsenal correspondent Tom Canton in our live blog below.

On Real

I think we all know what they do and we watch a lot of their games and we’ve seen the comebacks and the late wins that they’ve recovered.

12:43Tom Canton

On if he has followed Vini Jr journey and the racial abuse he has suffered

Yeah I know him as a player and I know the journey he has been on. Some moments have been tough for him and he has shown he is bigger than that.

12:41Tom Canton

On Jude Bellingham and the quality of the opposition

We’ve watched Real Madrid, we’ve analyse them. The quality they possess in the final third and impose ourselves as well.

I had a brief chat with him in the changing room, but not much was said.

Saka on his journey

I think its experience that you pick up. Sometimes you make mistakes you learn from them. Whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.

On being the star of the team

I need my teammates as much as they need me.

Saka on Vinicius and Mbappe and comparisons and getting closer to their level

I don’t want to say they are a level above me because that’s not how I think.

Saka on his celebration the other night

Yeah so Sam Wilson and Ricky, they have worked so close with me. Some days were tougher than usual but they were all helping me.

12:37Tom Canton

Ballon d’Or

Yeah it’s a dream. I think it’s a dream for a lot of players. I am just working hard to do the best for my team.

I have two years left on my contract, I think everyone’s pretty relaxed.

Saka on his contract

Yeah I want to win things, and I want to win things wearing this badge.

On producing great talent

I hope we can do it more and save more money. [He jokes]

On Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly

Always make myself available to them and I am so proud to see the steps that they are making

On the return

The last five years, I have been playing game after game. It’s really nice to be back and I feel fresh mentally for sure.

On the atmosphere

They’re going to help create the most beautiful night that the Emirates has ever seen.

12:26Tom Canton

Biggest night?

I think in an Arsenal shirt, it probably will be yeah!

the injury

Yeah it was tough for me, came at a bad moment. Focus on the season now

Saka here now

Here we go

More on the hype around the result

With a lot of hope that we can get a result that we can do it. We need to be convinced that we can do it. We need to just enjoy it.

Arteta on his profile in Spain

You know I’ve been in England for a long time now, I’ve won things as a coach and its normal to have a profile here but not as much in spain

On the loss to Valencia at the weekend

You know I can only analyse Madrid in the context that I am going to face them. We cannot really control anything but the best opposition. Everything that might come after, we will see what happens.

On Madrid

You know its part of their history, our history, we have to write our own history. We have to focus on our thing. They can hurt us a lot but we can too.

On Ancelotti

Yeah abolutely, Carlo is a huge inspiration, history, in the Champions League he has done more than anyone else. He can help players win games. His tranquility, his human side is a big thing for the

On the set pieces (We are now in Spanish questions

Of course. Set pieces have resulted in 33% of our goals. They can play a really decisive role for any game.

On European record

Nothing for us has happened in European competition has happened and we need to change that.