Mikel Arteta praised Arsenal’s supporters for creating a breathtaking Emirates atmosphere after the Gunners defeated Atletico Madrid to reach their first Champions League final in 20 years.
Mikel Arteta paid glowing tribute to Arsenal’s supporters after the Gunners sealed a place in the Champions League final, insisting the Emirates crowd set the standards on a night the club will remember for years.
BUDAPEST-BOUND. pic.twitter.com/eowRy53Ls1
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 5, 2026
Arsenal completed a 2-1 aggregate victory over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday thanks to a tense 1-0 win in North London, with Bukayo Saka delivering the decisive first-half goal that sent the home crowd into raptures and booked the club’s first appearance in Europe’s biggest final since 2006.
For Arteta, however, the occasion began long before kick-off. The Arsenal manager was visibly moved by the scenes outside the stadium and the thunderous backing inside it, describing the connection between players and fans as one of the defining factors behind the famous victory.
Enjoy, recover and recharge for Sunday ⚡️
The message from Mikel after a magical night 👇
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 5, 2026
“It’s an amazing night. To live these kind of moments with our people, our players, everybody at the club, it’s just an incredible feeling,” Arteta said. “It was unbelievable right from the beginning — the manner that our supporters waited for us at the stadium, the energy, the passion that they put in, it was just great to witness.”
The Spaniard admitted his team fed directly off that emotion, with the atmosphere helping Arsenal match Atletico’s intensity in a tense tactical battle. According to Arteta, the supporters did not merely cheer the players on — they drove the standards the team had to rise to.
“I think they set the standards and we tried to catch up with them immediately,” he explained. “It’s so good after so many years to give that joy back to them and see that pride in their eyes. It’s beautiful to watch.”
Arteta also revealed that the unity within his squad gave him as much satisfaction as the result itself. After deciding to name the same starting XI again, he spoke personally to several disappointed players before the match, only to receive total backing from those left out.
“Their reaction immediately was, ‘I’m here when you need me, I’m going to be right with the team,’ and they gave me a hug,” he said. “So what else do I want?” It was a moment, he suggested, that perfectly captured the togetherness currently powering Arsenal’s season.
There was also a sense of poetic justice in Bukayo Saka being the man to settle the tie. Arteta handed Saka his Arsenal debut back in December 2019, and the winger has since grown into the symbol of this new generation. “It had to be someone very special,” Arteta said. “He’s certainly someone very special with me, for the boys and for everybody attached to this club.”
MOOD: INTO THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL 💃 pic.twitter.com/RIqeLzTdKA
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 5, 2026
Arsenal now head into the final later this month still chasing a remarkable Premier League and Champions League double, while Atletico boss Diego Simeone conceded the better side progressed. The Spanish coach refused to make excuses after the defeat, admitting Arsenal took their key moment and deserved their place in Budapest. For Arteta and his players, though, the immediate focus was simply to savour a night where club, team and supporters moved as one.
