Arteta Unfazed By Champions League Pressure As Wenger Urges Caution. Arsenal’s eagerly awaited comeback to the UEFA Champions League, following a seven-year absence, has ignited a blend of enthusiasm and apprehension.
The Gunners, who last graced the Champions League stage in the 2016-17 season, confront a challenging week on the horizon, featuring three crucial matches in rapid succession.
They commence their journey with an away fixture against Everton this upcoming Sunday, and then they return home to face the Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday. Just four days later, Arsenal will go head-to-head with their arch-rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, in the highly anticipated North London derby.
Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has recently expressed his worry regarding the potential influence of the Champions League on the team’s performance in domestic competitions, hinting that it might “result in dropped points” in the Premier League.
Nevertheless, Arteta remains undeterred, drawing comparisons to their previous season’s Europa League commitments.
“It’s exactly the same as last year. We played every three days, but it was the Europa League. So the competition is different,” Arteta said on Friday.
“Obviously, the demands of that competition and the expectations are different, especially as we’ve been away from there for seven years. But it’s excitement.
“This is where we want to be. When you look at the fixtures and the games that we have to play, I think everybody’s really looking forward to it.”
