Every word Mikel Arteta said on Odegaard injury, Saka fitness and Champions League lessons

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has spoken to the press ahead of his side’s Champions League clash with Atalanta, including a huge update on Martin Odegaard’s In

Mikel Arteta has spoken to the press ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Atalanta

Is it strange playing on a Thursday in the CL?

It’s different. Here we are playing on a Thursday in the Champions League, but we’re really happy. Motivated. Very enthusiastic. First game is really tough to come. They’ve built something amazing here. What a beautiful story what they achieved last season. But for us it’s a new season and we really want to kick on in the rig

Is it a disadvantage with City coming up?

Hopefully not. We have so much energy from what’s happening on Sunday. It was great. We have recovered some players which is very important for us. We’re playing a competition that we absolutely love and it’s great. We’re looking at the positives.

How’s Odegaard?

After recent scans the scans showed that he’s got some damage especially on one of the ligaments in the ankle. We’re gonna miss him.

Can you give us a rough timeline?

I don’t want to do that because I’m not a doctor. But it’s something quite significant so we’re going to lose him for a while.

Months not weeks?

Hopefully not months

Any other team news?

Riccardo [Calafiori] was able to train today and he will be available and in the squad. That’s great news because as we all know we’ve been a bit short the past few weeks.

Do you have to rest players with City in mind?

No we are in September. We have to put the best players available to win tomorrow. That’s the most important.

You’re unbeaten in 2024 in PL away games. Anything particular on road you do before games?

If we want to be at the level that we want to be, we have to be really good on the road and at home. There is not a choice! So we have to continue to be consistent, get a result, especially with great performances that are going to get us results.

In Europe, like you said, it is extremely tough like it is in the Premier league to win. Hopefully we can we be more effective than we were last season because especially in this competition small margins define results and we have to be really good.

Nuances between away in England and Europe?

You don’t know the opponents as well and them boxes become crucial. At this level there are small details, small moments that defines the story of the competition and the story of the game.

In the Premier league it is a bit different. But in Europe the teams are ruthless and you better be at your best and be very effective.

How will you cope without Odegaard?

Yes we’ll we have to show that. Obviously he’s our captain and is one of our biggest players, without a doubt. He’s been one of the most consistent players in the last two or three seasons and our identity is related to his way of playing and his way of behaving.

We are going to have to deal with that and that’s a great test for the team as well. How capable are we to show a different face? We have other players and other options that can still be very effective.

What have you learned from last season’s Champions League campaign and can you take it into this one ?

I hope so. It was a great campaign for us – we went to a place that we hadn’t been for 18 years. We weren’t satisfied because we want more. They showed their hunger and I think they have the ability and the quality. Now we have to prove it.

Did last season change your thinking on how you approach Europe at all?

I don’t know if it’s gonna change. Depending on the opponent and the moment that we’re in we learnt big things. These are the top elite clubs in Europe and they know how to play and to compete in games really well as well.

Is this team better equipped to deal with the atmospheres of European away days?

Hopefully we have learned and we can show that composure, but also that determination and that belief. Tomorrow we are going to be here and we know what we’re going to be facing and it’s going to be tough. Hopefully the team is ready and prepared.

Do you think the new format with extra games is fair on the players?

I think the reason why we have the new format is for all the football fans and the people that love the sport. We want to give them a better product. Now we have to deliver it and especially the players have to deliver it. Let’s see how it goes.

Have you been pleasantly surprised by how the players have responded to last year’s disappointment?

I think this team has always reacted that way. The fact that we weren’t satisfied and we knew that we could be there and we lost a few things on the way that didn’t allow us to be there. That has to be in the tummy. It’s a new season and a new opportunity. That’s the beautiful things about sports.