Arteta: Arsenal must 'earn the right' to return to Champions League final as Lille test awaits

Arteta demands Arsenal 'earn the right' to return to Champions League final

Mikel Arteta has told his Arsenal players they must "earn the right" to play in another Champions League final after last season's penalty shoot-out heartbreak, with the Gunners preparing to host Lille in the league phase on Tuesday.

Arsenal reached their first Champions League showpiece since 2006 last season, only to fall to defending champions Paris Saint-Germain on penalties — with Gabriel Magalhaes one of two Gunners players to miss from the spot. But Arteta insists there are no shortcuts back to the final.

“You have to earn the right to get in that position again,” said Arteta. “We know how tough it is. It has never been done [won the Champions League] in the history of our club so we have to realise that.”

Defensive foundation behind a new European push

Arsenal opened their 2026-27 Champions League campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win away to Napoli, and the underlying numbers suggest they are once again built to go deep. Of all teams to have participated in each of the last two Champions League editions (since the start of 2025-26), the Gunners rank first on a per-game basis for goals conceded (0.44), expected goals against (0.86 xGA) and shots on target faced (2.9), as well as boasting the highest clean sheet percentage in the competition (63% — 10 shutouts in 16 matches).

Well-coached Lille pose the next obstacle

Standing in their way on Tuesday is a Lille side Arteta holds in high regard. The Spaniard reserved special praise for the French club's coach, Davide Ancelotti, whose team have caught the eye with their displays in Ligue 1.

“Tomorrow, we are going to have a really tough opponent in front of us. They are very well coached. What he [Davide Ancelotti] has done is remarkable, you just have to see the way they are competing and playing in Ligue 1,” said Arteta.

History offers a note of caution, too. Arsenal are winless in their last three Champions League matches against French opposition (one draw, two defeats), although all three of those fixtures came against PSG in the knockout stages across the previous two campaigns.

Gabriel ready to step up again

One man who knows better than most what it takes to recover from final heartbreak is Gabriel Magalhaes. The defender, who joined Arsenal from Tuesday's opponents Lille, fired the deciding spot-kick high over the crossbar in the defeat to PSG, but has no intention of shying away if another opportunity arises.

“I think in a final anything can happen, so I think we did really well,” said the defender. “Like I said after the Champions League, of course, if I had another penalty I'm going to be there to take it and I think my team-mates helped me a lot after this. Of course, I was sad. I didn't want to miss a penalty, but I've learned from this and if I have another opportunity I'm there to take it.”

A manager backed for the long haul

Arteta speaks from a position of security. Having guided Arsenal to their first Premier League title of the era in May and a run to only their second Champions League final, he signed a new contract in September, as reported by Sky Sports on 23 September, with co-owner Josh Kroenke speaking of the club's determination to dominate. The Guardian reported on 8 October that the deal cements the manager's grip on the club, with his immediate ambitions including consecutive league titles and, ultimately, the European crown that has so far eluded the club in its history.

First, though, comes Lille — and the small matter of earning the right to dream again.

Sources: FotMob; Sky Sports (23 September 2026); The Guardian (8 October 2026).