‘Let’s talk on the pitch’ – Mikel Arteta says Real Madrid comeback talk ‘doesn’t matter’ to his Arsenal team | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has urged his players to quieten the Real Madrid noise through their performance on the pitch in their Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash.

Arsenal take a 3-0 lead into their second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu following their win at the Emirates last week.

But despite Madrid’s huge deficit, their players and boss Carlo Ancelotti have spoken positively about their chances of still progressing.

Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham backed the reigning champions to pull off a “special night” against Arsenal but Arteta has confidence that his players can replicate their first-leg display.

“It’s impossible,” Arteta said when asked about how they can control the noise around Real Madrid’s chances.

“Outside, we can do it on the pitch. Now I understand that it’s the narrative that is going to give the fuel to them.

“I understand that. It’s part of their history and they have the right to be talking about these kinds of scenarios.

“Ours is very different and our mindset, preparation, our thoughts and how we’re going to have the best chance to be better than them in the aspects that are crucial in the game because they are going to try to take the game to places very different to our intentions.

“If we do that we’re going to have a good chance to win the game.”

It has been well over a year since Arsenal lost a game by a three-goal margin but Arteta says that record does not matter going into Wednesday’s huge game.

“That we have to do it again,” he said.

“I think it’s over 472 days or something like this but it doesn’t matter. We have to prove it now in this context and that’s the beauty of it. That’s the challenge and that’s the great thing about sports. That we’ve shown that we are capable of doing it, that has to give us reassurance and confidence that we can do it.

“Now, let’s talk on the pitch and do it on the pitch. It’s the only thing that matters.”

Arteta also rejected suggestions that his Gunners side have anything to fear about Real Madrid. “I wouldn’t use that word,” he said. “I think respect, admiration for what they’ve done in the competition as a club over the years, the history they have, the values that they defend. Unbelievable. Amazing. Aninspiration for any coach, any manager, any team.

“But after that is the competition. It’s what we are going to face tomorrow, an opposition that we know very well and that we are determined to go out there and try to win the game.”