Mikel Arteta Reflects on Special PSG Connection Ahead of Champions League Clash
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is set to face Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Tuesday night at the Emirates Stadium in the UEFA Champions League, marking a reunion with his former club from his playing days.
Arteta spent the 2001-02 season on loan at PSG from FC Barcelona, where he made 53 appearances, scoring five goals and providing five assists.
Reflecting on his time in Paris, Arteta recalled the star-studded team he played with, which featured legends like Ronaldinho, Jay-Jay Okocha, and Mauricio Pochettino.
“It’s very special for me, mainly because of my deep gratitude toward this club,” Arteta stated during a press conference, as reported by Le10Sport. “It gave me the opportunity to play professionally for the first time, and I truly enjoyed my time there—the city, my teammates, and the coach I had.
Coming back to face them is something really meaningful for me.”
He expressed a desire to stay with PSG but noted that his contract with Barcelona prevented that from happening. “I wanted to stay, but at that time, I was under contract with Barcelona, and they couldn’t reach an agreement,” he explained.
“Players like Ronaldinho, Anelka, Okocha, Pochettino, Gaby Heinze; they were all amazing. I was very happy there and wanted to remain part of it, but I had to move on. That’s just how football works.”
After his loan, Arteta returned to Barcelona before moving to Rangers, where he played from 2002 to 2004. He later had successful stints at Everton from 2005 to 2011 and Arsenal from 2011 to 2016.
Mikel Arteta Reflects on Special PSG Connection Ahead of Champions League Clash
