Arsenal travel to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich on Wednesday, with Mikel Arteta saying the pain of last season's Champions League final defeat to PSG still drives the club's ambition in Europe.
Arsenal have won 10 of their 11 matches across all competitions this term, after progressing from the quarter-finals to the semi-finals and then the final across successive campaigns.
Final loss still unresolved
Arsenal were beaten on penalties by PSG in last season's final. Asked whether he had put that defeat behind him, Arteta said: "I tried, but I haven’t managed to."
Arteta said: "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."
Arteta said: "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."
Response to 'boring' criticism
On negative commentary describing Arsenal as "boring", Arteta said: "No it doesn’t," when asked if it bothered him.
Arteta said: "People have their own opinions. We have our own opinion."
Arteta said: "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."
Arteta said: "We enjoy playing football. We enjoy going out there every single day to win football matches and that’s the most important thing."
Wednesday's trip to Bayern
Arsenal defeated Bayern 3-1 during last season's league phase, but had previously been knocked out by Bayern over two legs in the 2024 quarter-finals.
Arteta said: "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."
Arteta said: "We have prepared the game with loads of enthusiasm. I’m really thrilled to come here and play tomorrow."
Kompany illness concern
Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany may miss the match due to illness, with assistant Aaron Danks standing by to deputise.
Regarding Kompany, Arteta said: "Well, I hope that he gets soon better."
Arteta said: "I hope that he’s there tomorrow because it will be very good for the game that his presence is there."
Arteta said: "(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."
Arteta said: "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."