Arteta relishes “ruthless” run as Arsenal brace for Bayern test
The Gunners face their toughest test of the season in Vincent Kompany's side
Mikel Arteta has described Arsenal’s upcoming schedule as both “ruthless” and a privilege, with his side set to face Bayern Munich and Chelsea in the space of six days after the North London derby.
“We will try and beat Bayern and then we have Chelsea – that is how ruthless the schedule is,” Arteta said. “But at the same time, how privileged we are to be involved in three incredible games in six days.”
Arsenal’s Champions League tie against Bayern is the headline act. The German champions arrive in London in strong form under Vincent Kompany, a man Arteta knows well from his Manchester City days.
He added: “Every opponent brings different challenges. They are in a great moment. The level of consistency they have shown in results and performances is impressive. We know that, but it is a massive opportunity for us to show what we are capable of.
“We have the same intention to win it. We made sure we had very good preparation again. We know the importance of the match. We are in a really strong position, we want to maintain that for sure.”
Respect for Kompany, rivalry on hold
The reunion with Kompany adds another layer to Wednesday’s clash. Arteta was full of admiration for his former team-mate.
“My feeling was he was going to be excellent at whatever he chose to do. I am very happy things are going so well for him because he is such a present, intelligent love for the game. I knew whatever he was going to touch he was going to make it really good. I am not surprised at all”, he said.
That respect will be set aside once the whistle blows. Bayern’s attacking threat is arguably the best in Europe, and Arteta knows Arsenal’s defence will be tested.
“This is the kind of game in the competition that we want to face. They have been very consistent in both competitions. Tomorrow is a great test for us to see where we are.”
Arsenal head into the tie buoyed by their derby win over Tottenham. Arteta wants that same aggression to carry into Europe. “We have to make sure we carry that energy to the stadium, to each individual, and that we play with the same aggression, dominance, efficiency against a top side.”