Champs League is so important for us, says Arteta
Mikel Arteta echoed his former manager Arsene Wenger’s sentiments over the significance of securing a Champions League spot, calling European football a “must” for Arsenal.
Wenger famously described finishing in the top four as being like winning a trophy in 2012 and received widespread criticism.
However, since his departure in 2018, Arsenal have failed to finish in the top four and last season did not qualify for Europe for the first time since the 199495 season.
Arteta stressed the importance of securing European football next season.
“I think playing in European competitions is a must and that is what we are trying to do,” the Arsenal manager said.
“We want to get as quickly as possible back around the top teams in this competition.”
When asked about the comments made by his former manager, Arteta said: “With the experience he had and the understanding he had, he probably anticipated this.
“Whenever he said something, a lot of times it made a lot of sense.”
Arsenal host Leicester today and are unbeaten in the Premier League since a 2- 1 home defeat to Manchester City on New Year’s Day.
However, the Gunners will continue to be without Takehiro Tomiyasu. The Japanese full-back has not featured since the 2- 0 League Cup defeat to Liverpool and Arteta would not be drawn into a return date for the 23-year-old.
“He had a calf injury and after that he had a really quick recovery, we play him, maybe too quick I don’t know,” the Gunners boss said.
“He needs to be consistently training for a period [ so] that we can minimise the risk of having another recurring injury in the same muscle.”
Brendan Rodgers believes Leicester fans have yet to see the best of in- form midfielder Harvey Barnes.
Barnes made a slow start to the season, but has been a stand- out performer for the Foxes in recent weeks, scoring three goals in his last five appearances.
The 24- year-old’ s resurgence has been key to Leicester’s four- game winning run and they head to Arsenal high on confidence.
Rodgers said: “I think at the beginning of the season it was more to do with his fitness, where he just couldn’t quite get to the level where he had been at.
“Over recent weeks you can see his importance to the team and obviously the top- class player that he is and how well he’s been developing. I think there’s still so much more to come from him.”