Mikel Arteta interview: Arsenal coach on his Gunners love affair, Luis Enrique friendship and Paris challenge

After seven seasons of close calls, near misses and constant evolution, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal side are Premier League champions – and are one win away from completing an unforgettable double as they prepare to face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final in Budapest on 30 May.

Following three consecutive seasons as runners-up, the Gunners finally pipped Manchester City to top spot to spark scenes of wild celebration in north London. Their campaign is far from over, though, as they now try to become only the third team to win both the Premier League and Champions League in the same season (after Manchester United in 1998/99 and 2007/08 and Manchester City in 2022/23).

Talking to UEFA ahead of the showpiece in Hungary, Arteta first reflects on his team's narrow semi-final second-leg victory against Atlético de Madrid, summing up the occasion in one word: "Beautiful. I think the preparations, the whole day... It was special, it was unique.

"From the moment we drove with the bus and all of our supporters were waiting outside the stadium, they really created something different, something that we haven't experienced at this stadium. And, after that, to provide that performance, that result – and, ultimately, to reach the Champions League final again, it was a moment that we'd all been waiting for, [for] so long. So it was great.

"You realise what it means to people. When you look into people's eyes and expressions, immediately you see something... something else. And then it was a sense of happiness and, as well, relief, because last year we were in a semi-final against Paris and we didn't manage to get to the final and now we are taking another step towards the objective, so what a moment."

Arteta has built a special bond with his team, and it is clear how much it means to him that they have progressed to this final. "I'm incredibly proud," he says. "And you just see a part [of it], which is what they do on the pitch, and how they perform, and what they transmit as players, as a team, which is just incredible.

"It's just a joy of a group. The togetherness, the unity, the love, the respect that they have towards [each other]. The connection that they have with all the staff, with the club, with the supporters. The moments that we live together, the amount of fun and enjoyment that we have together, it's special."

The Basque coach, of course, also spent the last five seasons of his playing career at Arsenal, meaning he is approaching 12 years at the club in total. "I'm in love," he admits when asked how to summarise his relationship with the Gunners. "I think the people, the players, the supporters, the staff [are] just part of me.

"It's changed my life for the better. It's given me a human experience that I could never [have] thought about, at every level. It is an inspiration, it is a challenge in my life at the same time, and I am so grateful for the opportunity that I [have been] given, and I enjoy every minute of it."

Mikel Arteta (centre) lifts the FA Cup in the 2013/14 season during his time as a player for ArsenalArsenal FC via Getty Images

Standing in Arsenal and Arteta's way in the final is the small matter of holders Paris, who are led by Arteta's former team-mate and friend Luis Enrique. "[He's] someone very special," says Arteta on his Spanish compatriot. "I met him when I was 16 and I was at Barcelona training with the first team, and he was somebody incredibly caring [towards] the young academy players, really supportive and someone that I admired as well, as a player first.

"When you look at his career, it's not only the coach and tactically what he can provide, it's him the person and his aura and how he deals with a lot of things. And I think he is unique [in terms of] that. The way he transmits the message, how convinced he is about what he does, and regardless of any opinion, he [sticks] by what he believes, and I think that's a superpower.

"He's a colleague, and the relationship that we have [is] respect between all of us, and admiration as well, because we know how difficult [it is], and how privileged we are, both of us, to be in that final, playing again. But when it comes to the day, you just have to compete and win it."

Despite the fact that these sides faced each other three times last term, Arteta does not believe those games will have a bearing on this season's final. "Both teams are different, I think. They were three very different games, three very different moments within games.

"Tactically, it's going to be a very collective battle. It's two teams that are exceptional in the way they function, [how] they adapt and the intensity they play with. And then there [are] individual moments, and when you see the Champions League, a lot relates to that. So, we know that we're going to have to be our best version to win it."

Finally, reflecting on the magnitude of taking part in a Champions League final, Arteta concludes: "It's huge. It's a massive privilege. You see the impact immediately when you reach the final, how people react, to be there, to be present, to have travelled there, and the demands that you have [from] all of that.

"It's the most special competition in the world at club level. There's no question about that. And I really want to enjoy the day, and obviously win it."

This interview was conducted on 14 May 2026