Mikel Arteta is “fully confident” Arsenal will make history this weekend by winning their first Champions League title.
Arsenal prepare for Champions League glory
The Gunners take on swashbuckling hosts Paris St Germain in Budapest on Saturday evening looking for their first Premier League win since 2004.
Arsenal are considered outsiders by the bookies to become European champions for the first time, but Arteta feels an indomitable confidence in his veins after winning the title.
“You can feel the energy, you can feel the confidence and the confidence in the players and in everyone at the club,” said the Spaniard.
“We have an amazing opportunity to write a new history in our football team, and we are confident that we will do it.
“We will fly to Budapest on Thursday fully convinced that in a few days we can be European champions.”
Arteta was speaking at the League Managers Association's annual awards dinner in central London on Tuesday after taking an evening break from their preparations for continental glory.
The 44-year-old's success with Arsenal saw him named Premier League manager of the year at the event that turned the men who almost became champions of England.
“First of all, thank you very much for giving me this award,” said Arteta. “It is a great pleasure, you are related to the senior management and all the colleagues in this room.
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“It's been an interesting journey for a few years. We've been knocking on the door, we've been trying, we've failed a few times, and to win it made it special.
“You saw the reaction of all the Arsenal fans around the world and what it meant to all of us, so I'm very proud.”
Having already knocked out Atletico Madrid to reach the final in Budapest, the Gunners are now looking to get one more shot at the La Liga giants, having held talks with one of their top stars.
Alvarez rejects new contract after Arsenal talks
Indeed, the Gunners are holding talks to sign Julian Alvarez in a £100m deal this summer, with the striker's agent said to have given Andrea Berta and Co the 'green light' to go ahead with the move.
And Fabrizio Romano has dropped a huge boost for Arsenal in his latest YouTube video, revealing that Alvarez will not sign the new contract offers put forward by Atletico and it is not linked to money – suggesting the striker is looking for another opportunity.
“What I can confirm to you is what I reported here on the channel, Julian Alvarez has no intention of signing a new contract at Atletico Madrid, that is true.
“A lot of news about Julian's renewal, Julian signing a new contract, Julian being offered money. It's not about 7, 8, 10, 12 million, Julian Alvarez will not sign a new contract.”
The 26-year-old has had a great season in Spain, scoring eight times in La Liga and ten in the Champions League, and is expected to start for Argentina at the World Cup this summer.
Whether that lowers his price tag remains to be seen, but Atletico's negotiating position is weakened by the player's refusal to extend his current terms, which expire in 2030.
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