LONDON – Ahead of a pivotal second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has issued a fierce rallying cry, saying his side will take to the pitch with the hunger and intensity of “beasts” as they chase a historic first appearance in the competition’s final in nearly two decades.
Arsenal heads into the home leg with a solid foundation, having secured a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid in the opening match held in the Spanish capital last week. For the North London club, this fixture represents far more than just a single game: it has been 20 years since the Gunners last reached the Champions League final, where they ultimately fell to Barcelona in 2006. To date, the club has never lifted European football’s most prestigious club trophy.
The result marks a second consecutive season that Arsenal has advanced to the Champions League semi-finals, a milestone that adds extra motivation to Arteta’s squad. Last year, the club was eliminated at this stage by Paris Saint-Germain, and Arteta made clear on Monday that his players are determined to go one step further in 2025.
“We will take to the pitch as beasts tomorrow and enjoy the moment and go for it,” Arteta told reporters ahead of the game. “I can’t wait. I feel the energy among the team and our supporters. This is the moment that we want to live together. We have worked hard as a club and as a team after 20 years to be in this position again — and we are so hungry to get through to that final. It is a feeling of huge excitement so let’s push hard, because something amazing is going to happen.”
A major boost for Arsenal comes in the form of fitness updates on key first-team players. Captain Martin Odegaard, who missed the side’s 2-0 Premier League win over Fulham this past Saturday, is fit and available for selection. German forward Kai Havertz, who has sat out the last two matches with a knee injury, is also in contention to feature.
Beyond the Champions League milestone, the club is also chasing a long-awaited piece of major silverware. Currently leading the Premier League table, Arsenal has not won a top trophy since lifting the FA Cup in 2020, adding another layer of urgency to this run.
When asked if he had envisioned Odegaard lifting the Champions League trophy at the final in Budapest at the end of May, Arteta said that this vision has been a core part of his plan for the club since he took the job. “I did that many years ago and it was the thing that I had in mind for this club,” he said. “You can never promise to win major trophies, but you can promise to work every single day by implementing the vision and being determined with the ideas and the decisions to make this club one of the best in Europe. Here we are. Now we have to make the next step.”
Contrary to his approach in last season’s semi-final decider against PSG, Arteta opted against issuing a direct public call to fans to roar the side over the line this time around. Last year, he urged supporters to “bring their boots and kick every ball” alongside the team, but on Monday he noted that the stakes of the fixture speak for themselves.
“I don’t think a message is needed. It’s what is at stake that says it all,” he said. “But, I can’t wait to live this moment with our supporters, our people, and generate something really, really special to get into that final. Let’s live this together. Go grab it and let’s make it happen.”
The winner of the tie will advance to the May 30 final in Budapest, where they will face off against either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain for the Champions League crown.