Arteta says the pain of the final defeat to Paris still runs through him

“I feel like the poison is flowing through my veins,” Arteta said as he discussed the defeat to Paris in the Champions League final. He acknowledged that the loss still leaves its mark, while explaining that it can also drive him and others. Arteta said the defeat had stayed with him, recalling a phrase he attributed to Arsène: “This poison is still in my veins. It has to stay there, because that is how you learn, and it may be a great motivation for me and for everyone.”

Arteta also discussed his long-term contract extension with Arsenal, which keeps him at the club until 2030, and the seven years he has spent in charge at Emirates Stadium. He spoke about his journey with the Gunners in an interview with The Athletic.

Looking back on taking charge in 2019, Arteta said he had wanted to overturn established habits from the outset. He described turning the office upside down, with computers, laptops and cables scattered across it, before gathering everyone together. His message, he explained, was that they had two minutes to put the place in order and prepare to work together if they wanted him to help them enjoy their jobs again.

He described that approach as a starting point, stressing that it had to be put into practice every day. “Whatever our goals are, we have to achieve them together. I can’t do it on my own,” he said, adding that the problem facing the group runs much deeper and that the possibilities are unlimited. He also said that if nothing had changed, this period could have brought his coaching career to an end.

Arteta said he had chosen to devote all his energy to a dream: connecting the different parts of the club, from top to bottom. He linked his revolution to the Premier League victory after 22 years and described the success as a moment to remember for the rest of their lives, beyond the trophy itself.

He also portrayed the club’s identity as a force that draws people in and leaves a lasting impression, while insisting that much remains to be done. Arteta discussed the creativity devoted to the players, too: after seven years together, he said, he likes them to enter the building wondering what the day’s programme will be, with Arteta still there.