On the eve of our Champions League opener against Napoli, Mikel Arteta can’t wait to get our European campaign underway as we aim to continue our trajectory in the competition.
In Mikel’s first three campaigns as our boss in Europe’s premier competition, we have progressed from quarter-finalists to semi-finalists, and last term finished as runners-up as we go deeper and deeper into the knockouts.
We begin our quest to make the final step in our quest for European glory away from home in Naples on Wednesday, and Mikel is relishing the challenge the Serie A side poses, and what this continental campaign might bring.
“I’m really excited,” our manager said. “We know what this competition means to all of us, the experience of last year as well, so we need to start with the first game in a really, really tough place, but really excited to start the campaign.
“Start well tomorrow; that’s the only thing we can do. Start by putting in a big performance tomorrow to increase the probability of winning the game.”
The Neopolitans finished second in the Italian top-flight last term, and appointed six-time Scudetto winner Massimiliano Allegri as manager in the summer as they aim to also make one giant leap forward again in 2026/27.
They boast a formidable home reord in European competitions down the years, but we head to southern Italy with some excellent away form, having suffered just one defeat in the last 12 Champions League matches. So what does the boss put that down to?
“The consistency in the performances that we put in and the fact that we have been really dominant even when we play at home,” he said. “With our identity, with what we want to achieve in games, believing and being convinced that we can do it.
“It will be a really tough place, I’ve been in that stadium before, I know the atmosphere they create, their record at home is really, really strong. They have a very experienced manager, a lot of players that played in the league as well, so we know the challenge ahead. We are prepared and we’re ready to go.”