Mikel Arteta: Arsenal Must Earn Champions League Qualification Against Girona

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has praised Girona ahead of their Champions League clash, saying they are a 'beautiful story' and a competitive team that deserves respect.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his satisfaction with the FA's decision to rescind Myles Lewis-Skelly's red card, which was issued during Saturday's 1-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers. However, Arteta also took the opportunity to condemn the abuse directed at referee Michael Oliver by fans. Lewis-Skelly's red card was overturned, sparing him a three-match suspension.

The incident in question occurred when Lewis-Skelly tripped Wolves' Matt Doherty on a counterattack before half-time, leading to his dismissal. The decision was upheld by VAR, but was widely criticized by fans and pundits. Unfortunately, the backlash against Oliver went beyond mere criticism, with the PGMOL revealing that the police are investigating threats and abuse directed at the referee.

Arteta emphasized the need to eradicate abuse from the game, stating, “Obviously (we are) really happy that the decision has been made and Myles is going to be available for us.” He then shifted his focus to the broader issue of abuse in football, saying, “Every time I talk about (abuse towards) a player, a coach, it doesn't matter. We have to try hard to eradicate it from the game. It certainly damages our sport. So let's get it out.”

Arteta envisioned a future where football becomes a more positive and respectful environment, saying, “We focus on the evolution of football and where it is heading in the next five years. I think one big evolution we can have is to make a social environment that is better.” He concluded by emphasizing the need to remove hatred from the game, stating, “We don't need to keep this hatred, it removes the beauty of the sport.”

Setting the target 🎯 pic.twitter.com/b9BPEYcwCU

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 28, 2025

Arsenal is set to face Girona in their final league-phase game in the Champions League on Wednesday. Despite Girona's early elimination from the competition in their debut European campaign, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was full of praise for their opponents. “I think this is a beautiful story, especially in the way that they've done it,” Arteta said of Girona, who finished third in LaLiga last season.

Arteta expressed his admiration for Girona's approach to the game, saying, “(It) shows you can do big things with a vision.” He also revealed that he has been closely following Girona's performances in the Champions League, stating, “I watched all their games in their group stage as I love the team, I love the coach.” Arteta acknowledged that Girona has been competitive against top teams, despite not getting the results they deserved. “I need to know them very well, they were very competitive against the big names. They didn't get the result they deserved,” he said.

💬 "We're here to win."

Mikel Arteta is keen for us to secure our passage to the knockout stages with all three points tomorrow night 👇

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 28, 2025

With 16 points, Arsenal is currently third in the 36-team Champions League standings. To secure their place in the round of 16 and avoid a two-legged playoff, the North London side needs only a draw against Girona. Arteta emphasized the importance of earning their qualification, saying, “We have been very close to big titles in the last few years but that's very difficult in football. Tomorrow we must earn our qualification.”