Mikel Arteta admits he has not moved on from Arsenal’s Champions League final heartbreak

Mikel Arteta says the lingering heartbreak of Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat continues to drive his ambition for success in Europe, while firmly dismissing claims that his side have become “boring”.

The Premier League champions travel to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, marking their sternest test since May’s shootout loss against Paris St Germain.

When asked if he had put the agonising defeat to PSG behind him, Arteta admitted: “I tried, but I haven’t managed to.

“I tried for many weeks during the summer, but when I see the ball, the scenes, I hear the music, I want it so badly.

“We know that we have to go step by step, but I think that fire is within the team and all of us individually. We know what we had to go through – not being champions of Europe by a penalty. So, let’s try again.”

Despite winning 10 of their 11 matches across all competitions this term, Arsenal have faced ongoing criticism regarding their tactical style.

The manager remains untroubled by claims that his side are unentertaining.

“No it doesn’t,” he said when asked if the negative commentary bothered him. People have their own opinions. We have our own opinion.

“At the end of the day, we have lost one game in 11 this season and if you call that boring or irritating, I don’t know what to say.

“We enjoy playing football. We enjoy going out there every single day to win football matches and that’s the most important thing.”

Arsenal’s ongoing pursuit of European glory has seen them advance from the quarter-finals to the semi-finals and ultimately the final across successive campaigns.

They defeated Bayern 3-1 during last season’s league phase, having previously been knocked out by the Bundesliga champions over two legs in the 2024 quarter-finals.

“I’m really looking forward to the game,” Arteta said. “This is the stage, this is the kind of team, this is the kind of coach, this is the kind of club, the stadium that you want to be involved in.

“We have prepared the game with loads of enthusiasm. I’m really thrilled to come here and play tomorrow.”

Arteta could face an unexpected counterpart on the touchline as Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany may miss the match due to illness, with assistant Aaron Danks standing by to deputise.

“Well, I hope that he gets soon better,” Arteta remarked regarding Kompany. “I hope that he’s there tomorrow because it will be very good for the game that his presence is there.

“(I’m) a huge admirer of him: one, as a person, because I got to know him and I worked with him for a few years (at Manchester City), and then what he has done as a coach.

“I think the identity and the quality that his team shows in the last few years, it’s another level, and that’s a big credit for him.”