Every word Mikel Arteta said on Real Madrid win, proudest Arsenal moment, Bukayo Saka and PSG

Mikel Arteta now has a UEFA Champions League victory over Real Madrid he can add to his CV and naturally the Spaniard was in the best of all moods post-match. Speaking to the media after watching his side secure a 5-1 aggregate win over Los Blancos he couldn’t wait to praise his players.

The fans too, played a huge role in both ties and now they have been rewarded with a semi-final against PSG. Arteta did indeed reference his upcoming opposition who he has already faced once this season.

Here is every word Arteta said during his post-match press conference:

Have you ever felt prouder than you are now of your players?

Probably not. Not only because we're in the semi-final for the third time in our history, but also for the manner and the way we did it. Not only by the way we played, but also with the circumstances, the amount of injuries that we had. So I think overall, I think it shows the character of this team, of this club, and it's a night to be very proud of.

A great performance from the whole team. Please have a word on Declan Rice. Another excellent performance from him again.

Yeah, I can talk to him. Obviously, he's been decisive in the tie. Today, in a different way, I think it was immense. His presence, the power that he showed, how composed he was. Without the ball, I think he led the team in many moments and turned the game in our favour. And I think that's why you need players at this level to step up and have a big contribution. And he certainly has done that.

You spoke a lot before this tie about belief and conviction. What does this performance this week and last week do for your team, and for the next few years?

The feeling that we have is a reality, basically. And the inner feeling that I had before the tie. While the players were transmitting and how prepared I could feel the team, that we are ready to compete against anybody. And now we have to continue to do that because I think we have some momentum now.

You never played down the stakes of this game. You always said it's a big challenge, a big test. Having come through that, do you think that a result like this can help your team make that final step to go from becoming challengers to winners? Can this give them the fuel and the belief that they need?

Well, it's certainly another massive step. Where we finished last year and the way we've done it this year against the team with the highest honours in the competition, it's incredible. But I want to be credit to them. It was my first time as a coach in that dugout and today I realised after three minutes that in this stadium, anything is possible. I mean, they are specialists of creating such a chaos, such a belief, and it's very difficult to understand really what's going on in the game and have certain certainty about how we control it. But I think the players showed their own maturity.

What does that say about the character of Saka, that he missed that penalty in the way he missed it and then he came back and scored?

I can go on and on with individuals and a lot of different cases that we had in that team. But with Bukayo, again, he stepped up. He didn't score, obviously. That could be a turning point emotionally in the game because he gave them a lot of belief. But then the way he handled the situation, the way he played afterwards, and the first time that he showed at his age, the first time that he played in this stadium, incredible.

What do you think tonight shows in terms of the evolution of Arsenal? If we asked you five years ago that you'd be in the Champions League semi-final after two legs against Real Madrid, you'd have bitten someone's hand off. So, yeah, what do you make of that evolution?

Well, that has been quite fast before because it was impossible to be in any round because the club was in the Champions League for seven years. So that shows you the turnaround and a lot of great decisions that the club has made and the contribution for a lot of people to be where we are. And it's a team that you can feel today how hungry, how determined, and the ambition that it's got. So we're going for more for sure.

I know you want the focus to be on the players, but for you as a manager, what belief does this give you, the work that you do in the cable methods? What does it do for you personally?

Well, it's reassuring. And I'm here to experience these kind of games and to go through them. I know that sometimes you're going to win, sometimes you're going to lose. So be very critical with yourself tonight. There are things that we can still do much better, and I have to help the team to do better. But the biggest pride is when I look at them and I talk to them how convinced they feel. And that's a big part of our job. The coaches and that work is a joy to work with them.

You mentioned the turning point penalty there and the chaos, and how difficult it was to control it. Did you prepare your players about mentally what happens if it's not going as you expect or if there is a turn the stadium will be famous for?

Yes, and we have certain tools to try to do that. But actually, to do it when it's live, you realise how bloody difficult it is. But I think we've done it and we've done it in many moments in a really clever way. Because the game can drive you to a scenario that goes against them, they are not good at all. And we were very clear on how we had to get out of that and we managed to do it.

A week ago, your team created an amazing atmosphere with the fans. Here, you probably created one of the best away atmospheres. A word on the performance of the people behind the players, the fans.

Yes, incredible. Thank you so much to all the supporters that have been with us on this journey. In Madrid, around the hotel and feeling that belief and support towards them. I think it's the purpose of our job to make our people happy. Hopefully, they feel very proud about the players and the team. And now, let's go for more.

Arsenal have obviously become the first team to win here twice. Just a word on that and what that means. Also, you and the players are starting to dream that this will be the year that Arsenal will be champions here.

I didn't know that as before. So, great to be part of the history in that part. But again, we are really happy tonight. Since I'm not satisfied, we have an amazing tie now against PSG. A team that we know really well and we have already played against. So, it's time to get prepared for that one.

Translated from Spanish

Did you speak to Pep Guardiola today?

I called him (Guardiola) this morning because I am here thanks to him. As a player and a coach he has been an inspiration to me. I had four amazing years with him, and I will always be grateful to him.