Mikel Arteta admitted to mixed emotions after Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Gunners were unable to make their numerical advantage count following Moisés Caicedo’s first-half red card, but the manager balanced his disappointment with pride in how his players coped with a demanding week.
Just days earlier, Arsenal had celebrated a memorable 3-1 Champions League victory over Bayern Munich, and Arteta acknowledged the physical and mental toll of back-to-back high-intensity fixtures.
‘Right from the beginning you could sense how much was at stake. Every duel and action was full gas,’ he said. ‘With the 10 men we expected a different game… they get a free kick and they score.
‘Then it becomes a very tricky game to play. Overall I think that when you don’t win with 10 men for 45 minutes you have to be disappointed. But you have to know the week we had, a tough opponent.’
Arteta praised his squad’s spirit, noting that injuries forced unfamiliar partnerships and that the players ‘did everything they can again’ despite lacking synergy. He highlighted the resilience shown in equalising quickly through Mikel Merino and creating further chances, even if they failed to convert them.
‘I don’t know the right words because I’m disappointed obviously with not getting the three points against 10 men,’ he admitted. ‘But with everything that happened in the week, I think overall I just have to be very proud of what the team has done.’
