LONDON (AP) — Arsenal's Mikel Arteta is relishing what he calls the biggest game of his coaching career — hosting Real Madrid in the Champions League.
In his second season leading a team in the competition, Arteta pits his wits on Tuesday in the first-leg quarterfinal against Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, who is in his 22nd Champions League campaign and has a record five titles.
“One hundred percent, it’s a joy,” Arteta said on Monday when asked if hosting defending champion Madrid was the biggest night of his management career.
“That’s why I came into football, and that’s why I came into management and especially to this football club.”
The Arsenal boss returned in 2019 to take charge of a club where he played for five seasons.
Arsenal meets Madrid for the first time since 2006, when Thierry Henry’s goal at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium was decisive in the round of 16. The Gunners went on to lose to Barcelona in the club’s only visit to the final in 70 years of the European Cup and Champions League.
“It’s been 20 years since we had this type of game,” Arteta said. “For us, it’s a great opportunity to build our own story. This is the stage where we want to be, where Arsenal has to be consistently.”
Arsenal is in the quarterfinals for a second straight season under Arteta, having lost to Bayern Munich one year ago. That came after a 14-year wait to return to this level.
During that period, Ancelotti won three Champions League titles with Madrid — in 2014, 2022 and last season — adding to two he won while coaching AC Milan, in 2003 and 2007.
Ancelotti was an inspiration for the calm he brings to his teams, Arteta said of his counterpart.
Arteta can pick Bukayo Saka to start a game for the first time since December, after two appearances from the bench in the Premier League after a hamstring injury.
“He’s in a good place to be able to be used,” Arteta said of his talismanic winger.
However, defender Gabriel Magalhaes was out for the season after injuring his hamstring last Tuesday in a 2-1 win over Fulham that marked Saka's comeback.
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The Associated Press
