Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta calls for perspective before crucial Sporting Champions League tie

When Arsenal face Sporting in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, it will be much more than just a knockout game in Lisbon.

For many, this is where Arsenal need to show that their back-to-back defeats against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final and damaging defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-final will not leak into the European and Premier League seasons.

Arsenal have been labeled “almost men” after finishing second in the Premier League three consecutive times in the last three seasons under Mikel Arteta.

But Arsenal have displayed a ruthless style of football this season that has seen them build a nine-point lead in the Premier League, reach the final of a cup competition and reach at least the quarter-final stage of the other two cup campaigns they have started, depending on what happens in the two games against Sporting.

Their style of play has been questioned at times but now the team’s mentality is being put under the spotlight.

The Gunners have been so impressive this season that their defeats against City and Saints were the first time they have lost consecutive games this season, while the defeat on the south coast was only their fifth of the season.

But with Arsenal’s biggest prizes being the Champions League and the Premier League, Arteta needs to show the pain of coming so close to valuable campaigns without overwhelming his team as they try to win their first major trophy since 2020.

“Have some perspective on how difficult it has been to do what we’ve done so far,” Arteta said when asked how he and his team had avoided more prolonged defeats.

“Feel the pain, feel the emotion, and use it to get better and grow.”