Arteta: Although the result was not satisfactory, the team's performance deserves recognition.

After a 1-1 aggregate draw in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid, Arsenal will return to the Emirates Stadium for the second leg. Víctor Džeireš gave his team the lead in the first half with a penalty in the Spanish capital, but Atletico Madrid equalized in the second half through Julian Álvarez.  

After the first leg, Arteta told the media , " It's a great honor to play in the Champions League semi-final in this stadium. The atmosphere was fantastic, and the fans created an incredibly enthusiastic environment. For most of the game, we played according to plan and took the lead through a penalty."  

" Unfortunately, we lost focus at the beginning of the second half and made some mistakes, which gave the opponent room to counterattack, and they took full advantage of those opportunities ."  

“We know this process is necessary, but I am very disappointed with how the penalty was awarded. In the Premier League, this situation would not result in a penalty. But here, considering the rules and the consistency of the rulings, I have no choice but to accept that it was a handball decision.”  

“What really upset me was the way Ebus’s penalty was overturned. It wasn’t an obvious mistake, but it could have changed the course of the game. In a match of this level, frankly, this shouldn’t happen.”  

"Overall, I am very proud of the team, and I have told the players that as well. Over the past nine and a half months, we have experienced and overcome various challenges, which is remarkable. I highly commend their performance because I have personally witnessed some of the world's top teams suffer defeats here."  

"Although we didn't achieve the desired result, and of course we hoped to win the game according to our established tactics, we still have a chance to advance to the final in front of our home fans. A week later, we still have a chance to achieve this goal."  

Image source: Internet / Arsenal official website