Mikel Arteta has explained that the Arsenal squad celebrated their Champions League quarter-final win over Real Madrid, which sees them advance to the semis against Paris Saint-Germain
Mikel Arteta says that his Arsenal squad enjoyed a "beautiful evening" after doing the double over Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The Gunners faced Los Blancos in the quarter-finals of the European tournament over the course of two legs, running out victorious both home and away to advance to the final four where they will face Paris Saint-Germain. The Champions League may come as Arteta's last hope of clinching silverware in 2024/25, given that the club were ousted from the League Cup by tournament winners Newcastle United in February's semi-finals, and omitted from the FA Cup by Manchester United on penalties in January.
Meanwhile, Liverpool need just six points in total from their remaining six games to win the Premier League, adding to the Gunners' current 21-year dry-spell in the English top flight. With the Champions League coming as their best chance of a title for the current campaign, Arteta and his squad have been relishing in every moment of the competition - with the boss recently revealing that his side enjoyed a celebratory meal after their wins over Real Madrid.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "Yeah, we had a great dinner in Madrid after the game. A lot of happy faces, great energy, families around. So yeah, it was a really beautiful evening."
Determined to take it down to the wire with Liverpool in terms of the race for the Premier League, meanwhile, Arteta then added that the celebrations were short lived - as the squad were straight back to training the following day for Sunday's clash with Ipswich Town.
He added: "And the next morning, ready for the Premier League again. Start to prepare Ipswich and the tough games we have against us." When asked if he hoped to take his form from Europe into the league, Arteta added: "That's what we want to do, and that's what we discussed this morning.
"Our full focus is in the Premier League, we have two vital games ahead of us after the two draws and we need to push. Not only the form, because I think we've been very strong in both performances, but the details have taken four points away from us."
Arsenal head into Sunday's fixture with Ipswich off the back of back-to-back 1-1 draws with Everton and Brentford, and will be desperate to bridge the gap between themselves and Liverpool as they strive for Premier League glory once more. Arsenal sent Real Madrid packing with a 3-0 win at the Emirates Stadium earlier this month, courtesy of two goals from Declan Rice and another from Mikel Merino.
In the reverse fixture, which took place on Wednesday evening at the Bernabeu, Arsenal were able to extend their aggregate score to 5-1 with a 2-1 win over Los Blancos. Bukayo Saka missed a penalty in the first half before he opened the scoring in the second. Vinicius Junior equalised moments later, before Gabriel Martinelli sealed the deal three minutes into stoppage time.
Arsenal will host PSG in the first leg of the semi-finals come April 29, before traveling to the Parc des Princes on May 7 with hopes of stamping their ticket to the Champions League finals. If they are victorious, they will face either Barcelona or Inter Milan in the final at the end of next month.