Beyond Semifinals! Arteta speaks on Arsenal’s Champions League ambition

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has opened up on the club ambitions for the UEFA Champions League as they prepare to face PSG in the semifinals.

The Premier League giants produced an inspired display to knock out holders and record 15-times winners Real Madrid in the quarterfinals 5-1 on aggregate. However, they face a tough test in PSG, a team that knocked out newly crowned Premier League champion, Liverpool.

Despite the tough test ahead of them, Arteta believes Arsenal has ambitions that extend well beyond reaching the Champions League semifinals.

“We have overcome a lot of issues and challenges this season, and the fact that the team is here as one of the best four teams in Europe, it says (a lot) about the mindset, the spirit and how much we really want it,” Arteta told reporters.

“We are making history, and it’s a beautiful story right now, but we want more.”

It will be Arsenal’s third Champions League semifinal appearance and the team’s first since it faced Manchester United in 2009.

“The players are really resonating with what we are doing, and they feel like we can face these guys and be better than them,” Arteta said.

“That’s the feeling we had against Madrid and in the previous rounds, and that’s how we feel today. I look them in the eyes and they can’t wait to play tomorrow, that’s the feeling.”

Arsenal, unbeaten for more than two months across all competitions, will hope to repeat its 2-0 win over PSG in the league phase in October.

“I loved (our) presence, how we went out there, our body language, the intensity, how aggressive we were,” Arteta said.

“We played with real belief and determination, and when you’re facing big opponents, immediately you need to put a game into that context.”

PSG travels to London on the back off its first league defeat of the season when they were beaten 3-1 at home by Nice on Friday.