Fearless Arsenal need to repeat first leg heroics at Bernabeu, says Arteta

VIDEO SHOWS: COMMENTS FROM ARSENAL MANAGER MIKEL ARTETA AND GOALKEEPER DAVID RAYA ON THE EVE OF THEIR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL SECOND LEG AWAY TO REAL MADRID

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: MADRID, SPAIN (APRIL 15, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. ARSENAL MANAGER MIKEL ARTETA ARRIVING FOR PRESS CONFERENCE

2. ARTETA SEATED

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARSENAL MANAGER, MIKEL ARTETA, SAYING:

“I wouldn't use that word (fear), I mean, I think respect, admiration for what they've done in the competition, as a club, over the years, the history they have and the values that they defend, unbelievable, amazing. An inspiration for any coach, any manager, any team, but after that it’s the competition. It's (about) what we are going to face tomorrow, an opposition that we know very well, and we are determined to go out there and try to win the game.”

4. PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARSENAL MANAGER, MIKEL ARTETA, SAYING:

“That we have to do it again, I think it’s over 472 days (since Arsenal have not conceded three goals in a match) or something like this, but it doesn't matter. We have to prove it now in this context, and that's the beauty of it, that's the challenge and that's the great thing about sports, and that we've shown that we are capable of doing it, it has to give us reassurance and confidence that we can do it, and now let's talk on the pitch and do it on the pitch, it's the only thing that matters."

6. CAMERAS FILMING PRESS CONFERENCE

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARSENAL MANAGER, MIKEL ARTETA, SAYING:

“The same. The same mindset, the mindset to win, to be brave, to be dominant, to be determined and to have the conviction that we can be better than them and win the game."

8. CAMERAS DURING PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARSENAL MANAGER, MIKEL ARTETA, SAYING:

“That's (not conceding 3 goals in 472 days) what convinces me that the team is prepared and that we've shown it in different contexts against very different opponents, but at the end, it's about proving it tomorrow, and that's the beauty about this sport, it doesn’t matter what you did yesterday. The team is convinced and are ready, and tomorrow we'll give everything we have so that Madrid's arguments get minimised and ours are the most frequent and strong as possible.”

10. PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARSENAL MANAGER, MIKEL ARTETA, SAYING:

“Each match is different, but the emotional and mental part is about them being super convinced that we are ready for this, to give them the reasons why we are ready for this. Tomorrow we need to go out there with a tremendous determination and braveness to do it. That's what I've tried to transmit to the players for them to feel it. We did it in London and it happened, now we need to do it in a different context and that's the great thing about being in a scenario like this one.”

12. CAMERA FILMING ARTETA

13. ARTETA LEAVING

14. ARSENAL GOALKEEPER DAVID RAYA ARRIVING FOR PRESS CONFERENCE

15. RAYA SEATED

16. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARSENAL GOALKEEPER, DAVID RAYA, SAYING:

“That's something that we cannot control. That is out of our control, the fans, the stadium, the atmosphere, maybe the shows that they have at the stadium and all that, so, that's out of our control. We cannot think about that, we have to think about ourselves and what we can control on the pitch, with the ball, play the same way that we played in the first game and create chances and score goals. We come here just to win the game.”

17. PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

18. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARSENAL GOALKEEPER, DAVID RAYA, SAYING:

“We are here just to write our own history. I think winning the game, and going through to the semi-finals, that's what we want to do and that's what we are going to try and achieve tomorrow, but like I said, we are here just to create our own history.”

19. PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

20. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARSENAL GOALKEEPER, DAVID RAYA, SAYING:

“Anything can happen in football, but we have to face this match to win it, not to defend it. We are going out with everything from the beginning to win the match."

21. RAYA LEAVING

STORY: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta called on his players to be brave and believe in themselves in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid on Wednesday (April 15), and deny the Spanish giants a comeback.

Arsenal go into the game with a 3-0 lead from the first leg in London after two superb goals from Declan Rice and another from Mikel Merino but Arteta said they were well aware that the holders and 15-times European champions were very capable of overturning the result at home.

Arteta said his players must not only believe in their ability but also embrace the excitement of the occasion as the North London side look to reach just their third Champions League semi-final.

(Production: Leo Benassatto, Miguel Gutierrez)