Champions League: Arsenal face crucial test of character against Sporting
Mikel Arteta has called on a shell-shocked Arsenal squad to show resilience as they aim to bounce back from consecutive defeats in Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final against Sporting Lisbon.
The Gunners were stunned 2-1 by second-tier Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, two weeks after a 2-0 loss to Manchester City in the League Cup final. Arsenal had been chasing an unprecedented quadruple until their domestic cup hopes were dashed.
The defeat to Southampton marked only Arsenal’s fifth loss of the season and their first back-to-back defeats this campaign, leaving supporters questioning the team’s ability to deliver silverware. The north London club has not won a trophy since the 2020 FA Cup, and three consecutive Premier League runner-up finishes have heightened expectations and pressure.
Arteta remains confident that Arsenal can manage the mounting pressure while pursuing a first Champions League title and a Premier League triumph after a 22-year wait. He said: “In the season, you always have moments, normally two or three. This is the first moment that we have with a certain level of difficulty. We’re going to say difficulty when we’re going to play the Champions League quarter-finals and the run-up for the league. If this is a difficult period, I believe there are many other ones that are much more difficult, so let’s stand up, make yourself comfortable and deliver like we’ve been doing all season.”
Despite recent setbacks, Arteta highlighted Arsenal’s strong position in both competitions. They travel to Lisbon as favourites against Sporting and hold a nine-point lead over second-placed Manchester City in the Premier League. “I love my players. What they have done for nine months, I’m not going to criticise them because we lost a game in the manner that they are putting their bodies through everything. I’m going to defend them more than ever. Someone has to take responsibility. That’s me and we have the most beautiful period of the season ahead of us,” he said.
Arsenal can also draw confidence from their 5-1 group stage win over Sporting last season, when Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres played for the Portuguese club. Gyokeres had a slow start after joining Arsenal last year but has recently become influential, scoring against Southampton, netting twice in the North London derby at Tottenham, and securing Sweden’s late play-off winner against Poland for the World Cup.
Injuries, however, could threaten Arsenal’s ambitions. Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are racing to recover after missing the Southampton game and England friendlies, while Gabriel Magalhaes is doubtful following a knee injury.
Midfielder Christian Norgaard urged positivity amid adversity: “The message is to have a positive body language, to talk with your team-mates, with the coaching staff. Now is not the time to go with our heads down for too long. It’s fine to be frustrated and also to analyse what went wrong, but then we also have to look forward because there are so many big games coming up for this club.”