“Why can’t you have fun?” Martin Odegaard looked almost perplexed when asked if he and his Arsenal team-mates could find a way to enjoy the pressure of the trophy hunt ahead of the Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.
“We play in probably the toughest, most competitive league in the world and are fighting at the top for the title,” he continued. “We are in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
“For me, it’s hard to understand how you can’t enjoy it.”
To be fair, Arsenal don’t look like a team they’ve been enjoying lately. Saturday’s tough 1-0 win against Newcastle was only the second in the last seven games. However, both the captain and manager arrived in Madrid in a bullish mood.
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Manager Diego Simeone confirms Arsenal’s interest in Julian Alvarez
Mikel Arteta added in his pre-match press conference: “This is the stage we want to be on and one we have won through incredible effort, passion and quality over the last nine months.”
“Now is the time to make a statement and show how good we are and how much we want it and want it to happen. The opportunity is in front of us and we have to attack it.”
Arsenal’s battle for the Premier League title with Manchester City, and the uncertainty that comes with it, has come to dominate their season as they look to end their 22-year wait for the trophy.
But in Europe we have to fight to achieve even more historic feats. Arsenal have never won the Champions League before and are just two games away from reaching the Champions League final for the second time in the club’s history. For the first time in a row, they advanced to the semifinals.
“I don’t take it for granted,” Arteta added. “Because not too long ago this club had not been out of the Champions League for seven years.
“So what we’ve achieved in this very short period of time is remarkable. And we know it’s difficult.
“It’s a great honor to represent our club in the Champions League semi-finals again for the second year in a row.
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Eberechi Eze trained with his teammates ahead of the semi-finals
“What an opportunity. We’re going to grab it with both hands. You’re going to see a team that wants to be dominant, wants to win, wants to start and score the tie.”
The competition has provided some tasty moments for Arsenal over the past two years, with last season’s defeat of Atlético’s rivals Real Madrid in the last eight. However, both the coach and the players are determined to take the next step.
It is accepted that it is not easy. Arsenal players seem to be suffering from expectations these days. Odegaard admits there is a psychological burden from failing to win major silverware in previous campaigns.
“That will always be there until we win (the trophy). It’s something we have to accept. We have to take all the experiences and lessons. It’s part of football, it’s part of the journey.”
“It’s the best time of the season. Everyone is preparing for it, everyone is excited. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to do something special. We have to take all the lessons from the past and apply them to this time. We’re going to do that.”
Arsenal have struggled offensively for much of the second half of the season. He has scored just five goals in the past seven games in all competitions. However, coach Diego Simeone’s team certainly showed their firepower in their last encounter.
The Gunners ran out 4-0 winners in October’s league campaign and Arteta is adamant he will go into Wednesday’s game at the Metropolitano Stadium with the same intentions.
Arsenal focused on defense in the knockout matches, conceding only one goal in four matches against Bayer Leverkusen and Sporting. However, any hints of a defense-first attitude against Atletico were quashed by Arteta.
Atlético Madrid and Arsenal face off in the Champions League semi-finals
“It’s going to be a really tough game. They’re a team and manager with a lot of experience in this competition. They deserve to be here because of what they’ve done so far. That’s something to note.”
“We know the game is difficult, but in Europe we have proven ourselves on any ground.
“We have to play with confidence and the drive and the will to come here to win the game.”
He will need to shut out the noise that has accompanied his decline in form over the past few weeks. But according to Odegaard, it’s a challenge they’re ready for, even if he accepts that some coverage is inevitable for him and his teammates.
“For some people, it might be better to stay away from their phones,” he says. “But in today’s society, it’s impossible not to see things.
“The important thing is to be mentally strong, focus on the right things and live one day at a time, one game at a time. It doesn’t matter what people say. You can’t control it. We can give our all every day. We just have to keep doing it.”
“This is huge for all of us. We’re in a great position to make history and that’s what we want to do.
“I’ve been at this club for a while and seen its progress and it’s great to be a part of it. We want to take that last step and do something really big and that’s what we’re all working on every day.”
Arsenal’s bullish stance extended to Wednesday’s weather warning for possible storms.
“We will adapt to any situation,” Arteta said. “Imagine how many games we have played in the last nine months.
“We have played in different scenarios, in different situations and against different opponents. So we will adapt to tomorrow’s conditions in the best way to be ourselves and win the match.”
