Mikel Arteta has sent a powerful message of resilience ahead of Arsenal's crucial Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting CP in Lisbon. Speaking to the media on Monday night, the Gunners' boss insisted his squad is "hungrier than ever" to succeed in Europe, using the sting of Saturday's Premier League defeat as fuel for their continental campaign.

Arteta emphasized the importance of perspective and channeling disappointment into performance. "Have some perspective, how difficult it is, what we’ve done up to now," he stated. "And then feel that pain, feel that emotion, and use it to be better." He analyzed the weekend's loss, concluding his team did not deserve the result but were punished for lapses in their core identity—the very philosophy that has propelled them to this stage.

The manager was unequivocal about the magnitude of the occasion, stating the recent setback does not diminish it. "This is the quarter-finals of the Champions League, it doesn’t get much better than that," Arteta declared, highlighting the season-long effort required to reach this point. His final message was one of fierce determination: "We are hungrier than ever, very excited and very, very motivated for tomorrow’s game."

In a significant boost for the traveling side, Arteta confirmed the availability of key players Gabriel Magalhães, Declan Rice, and Leandro Trossard. However, the fitness of Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber remains a concern, with both players not yet ready for the midweek clash. Arteta expressed hope they could return for the weekend, acknowledging the immediate need to reverse a recent trend of important absences as Arsenal enters the defining phase of their season.