{"id":315274,"date":"2026-04-08T11:26:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T05:56:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=315274"},"modified":"2026-04-08T11:26:59","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T05:56:59","slug":"mikel-arteta-told-arsenal-are-not-at-the-extent-of-two-champions-league-rivals-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/08\/mikel-arteta-told-arsenal-are-not-at-the-extent-of-two-champions-league-rivals-football\/","title":{"rendered":"Mikel Arteta told Arsenal are \u2018not at the extent\u2019 of two Champions League rivals | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Mikel Arteta before Arsenal\u2019s win over Sporting (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mikel Arteta has been warned that Arsenal are \u2018not at the extent\u2019 of two Champions League rivals despite their quarter-final first-leg win over Sporting.<\/p>\n

The Premier League leaders have one foot within the Champions League semi-finals after beating Portuguese giants Sporting 1-0 in Lisbon on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n

The tie looked set to finish in a stalemate before substitute Kai Havertz scored an injury-time winner to provide Arsenal a narrow advantage going into next week\u2019s second leg on the Emirates Stadium.<\/p>\n

Arteta\u2019s side had lost back-to-back games for the primary time this season going into the match, suffering defeats to title rivals Manchester City within the Carabao Cup final and Championship side Southampton within the FA Cup.<\/p>\n

Arsenal again did not hit top form out in Lisbon but will probably be greater than content with their night\u2019s work as they chase a primary ever Champions League trophy.<\/p>\n

Ex-Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley fully expects Arsenal to achieve the semi-finals after winning away from home but says the Gunners might want to \u2018up their game\u2019 to face any likelihood of winning the competition.<\/p>\n

Bayern Munich beat Real Madrid 2-1 in the primary leg of their quarter-final on the identical night and Burley said each those teams looked a cut above Arsenal, never mind other contenders within the draw similar to Champions League holders PSG and La Liga leaders Barcelona.<\/p>\n

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Kai Havertz earned Arsenal a narrow win in Lisbon (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018When it comes to the result you obviously take it,\u2019 Burley said on ESPN<\/a>. \u2018Sporting are certainly one of the weakest teams left if not the weakest team but Arsenal haven\u2019t been great, we all know that.<\/p>\n

\u2018I imagine they\u2019re home and dry after that result barring a disaster at home. Regardless of who the opposition is, Champions League quarter-finals, you get a 1-0 result in take back home next week \u2013 you\u2019re taking that.<\/p>\n

\u2018They\u2019re going to should up their game though, in the event that they undergo against Sporting, which they need to, and get to the semi-finals, in the event that they don\u2019t up their game\u2026 I mean, did you see the opposite game tonight, Real Madrid vs Bayern?<\/p>\n

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Bayern Munich beat Real Madrid on the identical night (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018In the mean time Arsenal, whilst they’ve everybody talking in regards to the depth of their squad and that they\u2019re probably going to win the Premier League, they should play higher.<\/p>\n

\u2018That level that Bayern and Real Madrid got to today \u2013 and we all know they’ll each recuperate \u2013 I don\u2019t think Arsenal\u2026 they\u2019ve really got to flick that switch again to get to that level.<\/p>\n

\u2018Is anybody surprised that Arsenal are winning 1-0 away at certainly one of the weakest teams left? That\u2019s all I\u2019m saying.<\/p>\n

\u2018Greater picture, they’ve to search out the additional gears that they’d initially of the season, or they\u2019re not going to win this competition. I\u2019m not being negative, that\u2019s just the way it is.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Arsenal have one foot within the semi-finals (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arsenal were good within the first-half of the season, having fun with a flawless Champions League group stage campaign with eight straight wins, including a 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich.<\/p>\n

\u2018Yeah but that was when Arsenal were playing free-flowing football, which we all know they’ll do,\u2019 Burley added.<\/p>\n

\u2018They were really pressing teams, they were going out from the get-go, they were 100 miles an hour, they were throttling the life out to groups and players were in form \u2013 all those things have gone.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018People have talked about Arsenal playing gritty and grinding but that didn\u2019t work against Man City within the cup final. They tried that approach and City were too good.<\/p>\n

\u2018So I just think they\u2019re going to have to search out a special game. It\u2019s one thing grinding it out against Sporting. I don\u2019t think they\u2019re going to give you the chance to grind it out against the likes of Bayern.<\/p>\n

\u2018Because I believe when you give teams like Bayern that quantity of possession, they\u2019ll cut you open. So I do feel they\u2019ll should get their players fit again, Arsenal that’s, and back on form. Otherwise, the semi-finals are going to be an enormous problem.\u2019<\/p>\n

Arsenal resume their Premier League title charge against Bournemouth on Saturday boasting a nine-point lead over Manchester City.<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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