Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has hailed his team's progression to the Champions League semi-finals as a significant morale boost, despite a lackluster performance against Sporting on Wednesday. The Gunners secured a 0-0 home draw in the second leg of their quarter-final tie, with Kai Havertz's solo goal in Lisbon proving sufficient to book their spot in the last four. This marks the first time in the club's history that they have reached consecutive semi-finals in the competition.
However, their recent form has raised concerns about their ability to maintain their nerve as the season reaches its climax. Arteta remains optimistic about his team's mental resilience, emphasizing the need to appreciate their current position and the challenges posed by the Premier League schedule. Despite reaching the semi-finals, Arsenal's struggles in front of goal persist, with the team managing just one shot on target during the match.
Arteta attributes this to the team's inability to create scoring opportunities and control the game, acknowledging that improvement is needed to dominate and finish more actions. The manager also addressed the substitution of striker Viktor Gyokeres, explaining that the game required a different type of player to link up and create more opportunities.