It was Mikel Arteta Amatrian (San Sebastian, 1982) who, along with two other media, welcomed MARCA into his office at the Arsenal Training Center. We have known each other for over 22 years and I have never seen him so happy and proud of his achievements this season after winning the Premier League and reaching Saturday’s Champions League final.
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question. You come from a place that won the Premier League. Why did it happen this year and not in other competitions (Arsenal were runners-up in the last three competitions)?
answer. Because someone out there arranged the planet to be that way. In other years, we were close to it, but something was missing. The feeling was different from the beginning, probably due to the type of player, but the consistency was similar. I was sure we would get very close. It’s not about winning. Because it depends on many things. My job was to convince them to feel their best because they had a moment of doubt. I told them to energize and have fun like never before.
Q. Why weren’t you with the players at the title celebration?
R. I felt that they would be more comfortable without my presence. I trained as usual that day, but with only an hour left to get to Bournemouth City, I felt strange with a different kind of energy. When I went to the second floor, all the players and staff were watching the game together. And we felt like that was their moment. I told him I was going home, but he didn’t answer the phone or watch the game. The kids were in front of the TV and I went to the garden for a barbecue. Gabi (Heinze) was there too. I could hear the noise from the people next door, but I continued doing my thing. And when the City game was over, my eldest son Gabriel came, opened the door and said to me with tears in his eyes: “Dad, we are Premier League champions.” We hugged the whole family…that’s how I experienced it. Seeing how people experienced it gives me goosebumps. It’s incredible that Ball can emotionally connect with so many people. I always tell my players that. It doesn’t matter your culture, your mindset, your religion… there’s magic in the ball.
Q. You got rid of the “losing team” label. How important is it for this final?
R. There’s a part of joy and a part of relief that a burden has been lifted. They say, “I already have this.” And we now have to use that as a tsunami of emotion, excitement and hunger to win the Champions League.
Q. What is the greatest thing that has already been accomplished?
“A. It’s a journey. We’ve done this with people who deserve it. Sometimes I’ve felt vulnerable and asked myself if I could accomplish this. ‘Am I the right person to lead this?’ And you won’t know the answer until you accomplish it. We did it together.”
I’m restless. My job is to find other ways to win in the end
Q. Let’s move on to the Champions League. Since the win against Atlético, their defense has been criticized above all for being extremely tough. How do you take that criticism?
R. I respect all opinions. Then you need to decide where to place it. Make them important, throw them away, remember them, burn them, use them, make them useful… there is room for everything. My job is to not settle if something is missing in order to win. My job is to look for other ways to ultimately win, to innovate, to look for different and different ways to win. And that’s what we’ve always done.
Q. Did you sit very deep on the low block and look for a formula to counter what you knew your opponent was going to throw at you?
Q. I had an injury, so there is a timing for everything. If you put these injuries into a machine and asked me what the chances were of winning the Premier League, I would have said 2%. I wasn’t going to be satisfied with that. We have had to leverage our resources and qualities and look elsewhere in order to remain as competitive as the level of demand required in the more than 60 games we have played so far.
Q. Luis Enrique called you “Little Mikel” the other day. You were a teammate at Barça. You were still young and he was already a more mature player. Can you tell us something about your rivals on the bench?
R. (laughs) I remember him very fondly. Because I think about how he interacted with young players and what he was like as a player. As a coach, he’s someone who showed leadership that went in one direction, stayed on that path despite all the noise, and ultimately won the way he did. He is a role model for everyone.
If we put all the injured people into a machine and asked them what the probability of them winning the Premier League would be, they would say 2%.
P. Zvimendi is one of the most frequently used players, but he came into this final after coming off almost four consecutive substitute appearances. what happened to him?
R. We can give thousands of examples of players who did not reach the top level in their first year in the Premier with such an impressive campaign “Zubi”. However, it is true that he had to play many matches that he had never experienced before, which at one point put him in a difficult situation. It was a difficult decision for me to make, but I think there may have been a teammate who was more suited to the match. We gave “Zubi” some comfort and oxygen for these final matches.
Q. Did you sacrifice much on a personal level to get here?
A. We have tried to compensate in the best possible way, but it always comes at a very high cost. But let me just say this. If there’s anyone more deserving of her place in this success than anyone else, it’s my wife Lorena (Miquel gets emotional). What she has done for me and my children is beyond words. Because I’m literally not there. And even though you may be physically there, you may not be there mentally. She is the one who brought balance to our home.
Q. With the World Cup approaching, Arsenal will have four players at La Roja. What do you expect?
R. I’m very proud to have them in Coach Luis de la Fuente’s team, but what I’m most proud of is that I’m 100 percent sure that they will cope well in whatever situation the coach needs them to be in, regardless of the role Luis gives them…because they are gems.
