Mikel Arteta says the disappointment of Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat by Paris Saint-Germain remains a powerful source of motivation, describing the hurt as “poison in my veins”.
The Arsenal manager has signed a new contract running until 2030, reportedly making him the Premier League’s highest-paid manager on nearly £20m per year. While he is excited about the club’s future, the memory of losing to PSG continues to drive his ambitions.
Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League title in May, completing their breakthrough campaign after three consecutive second-place finishes. However, their success was followed by disappointment in Europe, as they lost the Champions League final on penalties after a tense 1-1 draw in Budapest.
That match took place 11 days after Arsenal lifted the Premier League trophy. PSG have since won the competition in successive seasons, increasing the significance of Arsenal’s desire to challenge the French club again.
Asked by The Athletic whether the defeat on 30 May had left him with a scar similar to the one Arsene Wenger once described as being “on my heart”, Arteta said the feeling remained.
“I still have the scar, like Arsene says. I still have that poison in my veins,” he said. “It has to stay there because that’s when you learn and that probably is going to be a massive driver for me and everybody.”
Arteta arrived as Arsenal manager in December 2019 and has overseen a sustained improvement in the club’s fortunes. His new four-year agreement means he will remain in charge in north London as Arsenal attempt to defend their Premier League title and compete again for European success.
The Spaniard said he was energised by the scale of the task ahead, from developing future squads to responding to changes in the game.
“Globally, with our supporters? Great,” he said. “How are we going to build the next three squads? Great. How the rules of the game are going to change us, and how we’re going to stay ahead of that to take advantage? Great.
“But this is going to happen if every single day we look after what we built. We make it a little bit better, like software that is upgrading and upgrading. When can it stop is infinite.”
After agreeing his new contract, Arteta said it was a privilege to continue working at Arsenal.
“It’s a privilege to commit my future to the club and to continue to work with exceptional people who want the best for Arsenal,” he said.
“This club is unique, its character and the way it makes you feel, and I have a great sense of privilege that our journey together will continue. We have already built a special bond and created memories that will last a lifetime, and what is so exciting is that this is only the beginning of what we can achieve together.”
Arsenal return to action on Saturday against Leeds after a three-week international break that followed a 3-0 defeat by Brighton. They then face Lille at Emirates Stadium in the Champions League, with fixtures arriving quickly across all competitions.
