Mikel Arteta Praises Team's Maturity After Slavia Prague Victory
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised his team's maturity in their 3-0 victory over Slavia Prague, a win that kept them perfect in the Champions League this season.
Arteta praised his team's ability to adapt to Slavia Prague's intense and direct style...
Mikel Arteta was thrilled to see his Arsenal team display great maturity in their historic 3-0 win over Slavia Prague, keeping them perfect in the Champions League.
The victory marked a notable achievement for the Premier League leaders, who battled to control the game despite being under pressure early on. However, Arsenal's patience and emotional control paid off with a penalty from Bukayo Saka and a brace from Mikel Merino.
💬 "We really appreciate the effort, the energy they’re putting in, and I’m really happy that we could get the win to make them really happy on the way back."
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 4, 2025
Mikel Arteta praises the team's travelling supporters 👇
Arteta praised his team's ability to adapt to Slavia Prague's intense and direct style, saying they showed maturity in handling the pressure. The win also saw Arsenal equal a 122-year record of eight consecutive clean sheets, a testament to their defensive solidity.
The match was also memorable for 15-year-old Max Dowman, who became the youngest player to feature in a Champions League match. Arteta praised Dowman's talent, describing him as a “massive player” with unteachable skills that showcased his personality and courage on the pitch.
Speaking about his side's victory, the manager said in his post-match press conference: “I am really happy. It is a really tough place to come. I told the boys to respect a team like this. (They are) super intense, very direct, man-to-man, so very short sequences of play with a lot of fouls.
“It was very difficult to get any fluency in the match, but we were patient and emotionally controlled with the way they set up.
“At the end, it looked comfortable, but it was not a comfortable match at all.”
Mikel Arteta was impressed by his players' maturity in handling the intense atmosphere created by Slavia's passionate fans, who generated a tremendous electric ambiance at home.
He explained: “They haven't lost at home here all season, and they have that winning habit - that is very difficult to turn around.
“We understand that, and we knew the first 15-20 minutes there was going to be very little play. Then we had to change that and do different stuff. We did that, and the team showed maturity.”
Mikel Arteta's squad took a hit with key absences, but Mikel Merino seized the opportunity, scoring twice and drawing praise from Arteta, who said, “Mikel stepped up with two nice goals... He is just a joy to have. His versatility on the pitch with the things he can do, with his mindset he has, and today we were missing a lot of attacking players and we had to find a different solution and he comes in and scores two goals.”
Arsenal's historic win against Slavia Prague marked a special night for the North London club, with two notable achievements. Firstly, 15-year-old Max Dowman made his Champions League debut, becoming the youngest player to ever feature in the competition. Secondly, the Arsenal defense equaled a 122-year club record by keeping its eighth consecutive clean sheet, a feat last achieved in 1903. Mikel Arteta praised his team's defensive solidity, hinting that there's more to come from his backline.
He added: “It was a long time ago, so it says how hard it is to achieve that. The most pleasing thing is not the record but the mindset of the players. They are in there talking about how to get better in one or two situations, so if we can do that, then that record will have a bigger meaning.”
Arsenal can extend their remarkable clean sheet record to a ninth consecutive shutout against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, surpassing their 1903 record.
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