Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are ready to create history as they prepare for the Champions League final against PSG.
Mikel Arteta has challenged his Arsenal players to seize the opportunity to make history when they face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.
The Arsenal manager believes his side have earned their place on Europe’s biggest stage but stressed that lifting the trophy will require one final outstanding performance.
Speaking ahead of the showpiece event, Arteta expressed confidence in his team’s preparation and mindset. The Spaniard insisted his players are focused, motivated, and determined to finish the season on a historic high after already ending the club’s 22-year wait for a Premier League title.
🚨🔥 Mikel Arteta: “PSG are the champions… and we are here to take that away from them”. pic.twitter.com/WRXyOq50Rq
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 30, 2026
“We are here because we have earned the right to be here,” Arteta said. “But tomorrow, on the pitch, we must earn the right to lift the trophy. We are focused, positive, and ready for the challenge that awaits us.”
The Arsenal boss also delivered encouraging news regarding team selection. Arteta confirmed that both Jurrien Timber and Noni Madueke are available for the final after fitness concerns, leaving Ben White as the only notable absentee from the squad.
Having already guided Arsenal to domestic glory this season, Arteta now stands on the brink of another landmark achievement. Victory over PSG would secure Arsenal’s first-ever Champions League title and complete one of the most memorable campaigns in the club’s history.
🔴⚪️🏆 Arteta: “This final clearly is the opportunity to own the moment and the opportunity to write a new chapter in the history of this football club”.
“In order to do that, we have to play with clarity, a lot of courage & a relentless desire to win”. pic.twitter.com/mPKFgpg82p
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 30, 2026
Arteta believes the final presents an opportunity for his players to write their names into Arsenal folklore. He stressed that success at this level requires courage, clarity, and an unwavering desire to win, qualities he believes his squad possesses in abundance.
Despite finally ending years of frustration in the Premier League, Arteta insists the hunger within the dressing room has only grown stronger. According to the manager, winning one trophy has only intensified the players’ desire to experience that feeling again and continue building a legacy of success.
The Arsenal coach also reflected on last season’s Champions League semi-final defeat to PSG, insisting there were valuable lessons to be learned from those encounters. He believes both clubs have evolved significantly since then and expects a very different contest when they meet once again.
Arteta reserved special praise for PSG manager Luis Enrique, whom he has admired since their time together in Spain.
While describing the former Barcelona boss as an inspiration and a reference point throughout his career, Arteta smiled as he acknowledged that admiration will be put aside when the two coaches go head-to-head with European football’s biggest prize on the line.
