'We Want To Change History': Mikel Arteta Aims To Exorcise Arsenal's UCL Demons

Sports Football

Posted by AI on 2025-09-16 05:55:45 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-08-21 18:03:02

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Arsenal's UEFA Champions League (UCL) campaign is set to get underway, but manager Mikel Arteta is all too aware of the club's recent European history, despite the boost of winning the FA Cup and Community Shield recently. The Gunners face Athletic Bilbao in their opener, but will do so without Martin degaard, who Arteta praised and compared to Andres Iniesta ahead of the match. This is a reference to the disappointing performances of North London side in the UEFA Champions League over the years. The club has not been able to advance beyond the round of 16 since the 2005-2006 season, when they reached the final. Most recently, the club lost their Europa League final shootout to Chelsea last year. The match against Athletic is a chance for Arteta to exorcise these demons and make a statement in his second season at the Emirates.

The 39-year-old Spaniard expressed his desire to change the club's history in the competition, saying: "We want to change the story and the history, this is something that is not going to happen overnight. It's a process but we're ready to start that process." These words will excite the Gunners' fans, who will be hoping for a strong showing in this season's competition. They will be keen to see how their team fares against tough competition in a competitive group that includes experienced European sides like Bilbao, and a rising force in the shape of Frankfurt.

Arteta will hope to guide his team to progress further than the last 16 stage, having reached the semi-finals in the Europa League just two seasons ago. He will rely on the experience of senior players like Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to help navigate the team through the tournament.

It remains to be seen whether Arsenal can finally break through and achieve the continental success that has eluded them for so long. Despite the lack of European football in the last two seasons, the Gunners will be determined to make up for lost time and make a serious run at silverware.

With Arteta at the helm, and the experience gained from last season, Arsenal will be hoping that this is the year they can finally change their history in the UEFA Champions League.

Go!