Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, spoke about the upcoming match against Sporting Lisbon in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, emphasizing the difficulty of the encounter and the importance of approaching it with great focus.

Arteta referred to the recent loss against Southampton in the FA Cup, emphasizing the need to learn from this experience. He stated that the team must understand what happened and use it as motivation to improve, despite feeling that the result was unfair.

The Spanish coach explained that analyzing mistakes is a fundamental step after any defeat, emphasizing the importance of reviewing tactical decisions and messages conveyed to the players to quickly correct the course. He also stressed that the team must maintain its composure and not succumb to tension, while working on improving performance in upcoming matches.

Regarding the European encounter, Arteta emphasized the difficulty of the match, noting that the team has strong previous experience in the tournament, having successfully overcome Real Madrid and reached the semi-finals last season.

Regarding the players' physical condition, it was confirmed that both Gabriel Magalhães and Declan Rice are ready for the match, while the duo Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber are still experiencing some physical issues, with hope for their return in the coming days.

Arteta also mentioned his conversation with Viktor Gyökeres to gather information about Sporting Lisbon's playing style, emphasizing that the Portuguese team has exceptional capabilities and delivers strong performances, particularly in domestic competitions.