- 1 minute ago
Arteta and Merino on Arsenal's Champions League trip to Prague
03/11/2026
Eden Arena, Prague
03/11/2026
Eden Arena, Prague
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:01Good evening, I hope everyone is well.
00:03If you have a question, raise your hand and we will come to you.
00:07We will kick off with Simon from The Sun.
00:13A difficult one to start with.
00:15Obviously, we saw the news in Spain over the past day
00:18and we saw what the squad did before training.
00:20I want to just get your reaction to that
00:22and also the club's feeling around it all.
00:25Absolutely heartbreaking.
00:27Watching about the action, the incident, what happened.
00:33To see a colleague lose his life in such a manner,
00:38it is beyond any words that I can put today.
00:42On behalf of everybody at the club,
00:45we want to send our condolences to the families of Jesus de Miguel,
00:51all his loved ones and Club Deportivo Tenerife as well
00:54because it has been a really difficult day.
00:58Thank you for that.
01:00As well, we saw at training the return of William Saliba.
01:04How great was that to have him back with the group?
01:06Is he in contention to play tomorrow?
01:08Is this quicker than you thought he would have him back?
01:10Yes, he is in a really good place.
01:11I think the process and the timings and the manner that the injury has been dealt with
01:19and especially the feelings that really has been having along the way,
01:23they have been very, very positive.
01:25So, his evolution has been unsuspective, which is not always the case.
01:32He feels very comfortable.
01:33He played 45 minutes in closed door last week and he feels ready to go.
01:39So, whether we use it or not now is a matter of what the team needs.
01:42Can I just ask you one on Martin Zubemmendi.
01:45He probably hasn't played as much as he would have liked to,
01:47has had a bit of bad luck with the nose injury, in the warm down.
01:51What is his role going forward?
01:53Obviously, he has had a difficult start this season, but do you still see him as a big player?
01:56Martin Zubemmendi is a very important player for us.
01:57He's been a bit unlucky with what happened with the ankle, with the nose afterwards.
02:02He had some minutes as well and we have options in midfield.
02:07And like anybody else, everybody has to be ready, everybody is going to have the chances to play.
02:11And then it's about performing and helping the team to win football matches.
02:16But his energy, his application, his will to help is over there.
02:23That's unquestionable and he's an unbelievable player for us.
02:27Ed from The Guardian.
02:31Just on William Saliba, how is he feeling in himself?
02:35Is he kind of really desperate to get back and play now because it's been so long for him?
02:39I think he feels very desperate and very loved,
02:43because Will is somebody that he's very admired and very liked around the team.
02:49And every time he's around, he creates something special.
02:51That's Willie, that's his nature. He's around the team now.
02:55And yeah, now we need to give him the right moment, the right amount of minutes.
02:59And hopefully that's going to be very soon.
03:01But from your point of view, you're obviously trying to be cautious with him
03:04because it's a slow process for him.
03:07It's a very delicate injury, isn't it, that he's recovering from?
03:09Yes, but now you are in or not.
03:12And now he's in and he's in like anybody else.
03:14All the preparation has been done to measure all the loads and all the steps that he had to do
03:19to minimise that risk. Now he's in a really good place.
03:22He's built the capacity that we needed and now it's about giving him minutes.
03:27And he's a centre-back and when that's the case,
03:29it's not like an attacking midfielder on a nine that you can change.
03:32A centre-back normally has to be able to play 90 minutes.
03:35And that's why all the preparation that we've done to build him.
03:39James Athletic.
03:40Hi, Mikael. I just want to ask about Max Staumann,
03:43obviously suspended at the moment in domestic,
03:46but he became the youngest Champions League player a year ago tomorrow
03:50when he came on here.
03:52Do you think he's now at a position where he's ready to start in a Champions League game?
03:57Well, it's another year in his career and he's shown that every time he's played with us,
04:01he has a lot to offer, so that would be now a matter of a choice from my side to
04:08pick him.
04:09And in terms of him, obviously he had a tricky night at Fleetwood.
04:13How have you seen his response to that set-back and how has he come back from that?
04:18That's a chapter that is gone.
04:20It's a moment of learning from all of us and we move on.
04:25And you learn from the not-so-good ones,
04:27you make sure that you learn from the great ones as well.
04:29And he's been in gear spirit.
04:31When you see the kid and today we spend some time together as well,
04:34talking about things in training, it's always super positive.
04:39He has this, yeah.
04:41When you are 16, you have a different way of looking at things and treating things
04:46and that's what he brings to the team as well.
04:49Nick, at the back here.
04:51Hi, Mikael. Simon was just asking about Martin Zubimendi.
04:54We're going to speak to Mikael Mourinho in a minute.
04:57How difficult or easy has it been having two Spanish World Cup winners in your squad
05:02who have not been able to give many starts this season?
05:05Yeah, but they are playing a pivotal role.
05:08So, we focus on the players that are starting.
05:10Obviously, that's something else.
05:11Mikael has started some games already, some important games
05:14and he's coming from a World Cup, a very successful World Cup.
05:17We know the value of the players that we have in the squad.
05:22They need to feel important.
05:23I do think that they feel very important.
05:27And we have to make sure that they continue like that
05:30because if they have that spirit and that belief within themselves,
05:33every time they play, they will make things happen for the team to win the game.
05:37Is that attitude, that positive attitude and their winning experience
05:41a great benefit to the rest of the squad?
05:43Yes, and accepting the role on the day.
05:46Everybody wants to start games, but I think this season and last season
05:50we have experienced some incredible moments by the players that have come in.
05:55And that's going to be equally important, especially when you play every 72 hours.
05:59Same from the Daily Mail.
06:01Hi Mikael.
06:02Hi.
06:02With William Saliba, at one stage there was talk that he might require surgery.
06:06You've managed to get around that and not have surgery.
06:09What's been the process with that?
06:11And how have you been able to go around without requiring that?
06:15Because it's quite an extensive process, surgery.
06:17That's more for a specialist than to me, but they looked at every option.
06:22They got some of the best leading people in the world with the injury that he had.
06:27And at the end they decided that the conservative way was the best route for him,
06:32especially with the history that Willy had.
06:35And then, yeah, everything has been assessed every week, every month with all of them.
06:40And their progress has been so good to get to the point where he is now fit and available to
06:45play.
06:45Your relationship with him has obviously changed over the years.
06:48At first it might have been a bit different, to say the least, and obviously now it's in a different
06:53stage.
06:53He's more mature.
06:54With his injury lay-off, what's he been like behind the scenes?
06:57And how have you kind of kept him around and kept him in with everything?
07:00I think we always had a really honest relationship, I would say.
07:06Probably better now because he's played a lot.
07:09We've been together and have success together.
07:12And obviously that creates a bond between two people.
07:15And while he's been away, yeah, I think we made sure that he has some time off as well.
07:20It's been an extremely demanding schedule for him in the last few years.
07:25Then he put an incredible effort and amount of hours to get back.
07:29That's how Willy is.
07:30He does it in silence.
07:31He does his own thing.
07:33And every time he's in and around the team, he's helped to maintain and improve the energy of the team.
07:39Hi, Mikel.
07:40I know Saliba's reintegration is going to be a process.
07:44But the million-dollar question is how do you fit him, Esri and Gabriel in the same team?
07:49Obviously Gabriel and Conte are playing so well.
07:51Is Esri someone you feel can play at full-back?
07:54Is that maybe a way of juggling all of that problem?
07:58It's a nice problem.
07:59So far we haven't had that luxury.
08:02I wouldn't call it a problem.
08:03I think we can talk about problems that are very different to that one.
08:07So the moment that they are fit and available, we're going to have opportunities as well
08:12to give players or to load the players and to manage the congestion of the players
08:17in a much better way than we've actually done it.
08:19And Esri, he can play as a full-back.
08:22I think his main position is as a centre-back.
08:24He can play right and left.
08:25Willy is on the same with the national team here at Arsenal.
08:29And that's going to be something really positive for the team.
08:31Just on Max, I know you said you feel that the situation has moved on now.
08:35Have any of your players taken it upon themselves just to have a word with him?
08:40Obviously, as a young player it can be hard in these kind of situations
08:43and Max ultimately needs maybe lifting up a little bit at the moment.
08:48Yes, but I think we've all done that because that's the way you feel about somebody.
08:54But not because he had any guilt or anything, it's just because it's something human.
08:58When somebody feels somebody is sad or feels vulnerable in a moment, what do you do?
09:03You just want to help him.
09:04And all the players are extremely conscious of that.
09:08But not only for his age.
09:09Again, it's for the way Max is and the way he treats people.
09:13You just want to look after that kind of people and the team has been very close to him.
09:17Gary from the Times.
09:18I was actually going to ask a similar thing about Max.
09:20Obviously, you were quite honest last week.
09:22I just wonder whether you have to then sit down with him and have a chat with him
09:26and say you can say one thing in public and maybe privately just say,
09:30I'm saying this maybe for your own good.
09:32Would you have done that?
09:33Or would you have that relationship where you're just so honest with each other?
09:39I sit down with him and I just say,
09:42do you see my press conference?
09:43What do you think?
09:43Just honestly.
09:45I mean, he's public, so we just have this kind of relationship.
09:49And I think it's the way it should be.
09:52And if he thinks something different, he needs to tell me.
09:55And that's a relationship we try to build with our players.
09:59He's in a good place.
10:00And that at the end is going to come out as a critical point in his career
10:05where he needs to learn about something that is going to be happening
10:10a few times every game for him.
10:13So this is not something that's going to happen maybe once or twice a season.
10:15Three or four times per game.
10:17Probably he's going to have to go through these kind of moments.
10:20And he needs to master that because it's part of his game.
10:23Obviously, during the situation with the shirt tucked,
10:28is there any danger that the referees will go the other way
10:32and start to maybe give penalties or free kicks for very little bits of shirt tugs
10:39rather than kind of something quite severe?
10:42Yeah, I mean, I have a lot of clips about shirts, pulls, grabs.
10:47So I have a massive library that we can talk about.
10:51We're talking about one in particular.
10:53I have a massive library that we can throw there to remind everybody
10:57what every team is going through.
10:59OK, and I think we're in the last final two here.
11:01One at the back here with the gentleman there.
11:03Hi, Mikel, Pavel, Czech Radio.
11:05You played here last year.
11:07How do you remember the game and what do you expect from Slavia?
11:10Yeah, and I watch it back twice.
11:12Tough, tough because it's a really good team, extremely well coached.
11:17Obviously, they've been almost ten years together now.
11:19A really, really competitive team, a great mindset.
11:22So clear principles and concepts that they want to apply.
11:26And the way they navigate you through the game.
11:29So, yeah, we know it's going to be a really difficult game.
11:32After his performance at Anfield, a lot of pundits in England said that
11:35Declan Rice is the best midfielder in England nowadays.
11:40Would you agree with them?
11:42It's not for me to get into that debate.
11:44I love our players and Declan is one of them, a super important player.
11:49It's having an immense impact in the team.
11:52And he needs to continue to do that because we are knocked over
11:55and we have still much more to do.
11:57Okay, finally, join in here.
11:59Good evening, Mikel.
12:00Obviously, it's not your first evening here.
12:03And you also managed against Inřík Tepešovský, the coach of Slavia, three times now.
12:09So, it's not that common that two such long-serving coaches meet.
12:15So, what do you think about his work here and if you talk to him?
12:19Well, he's ahead of me because it's been ten years now, no?
12:22I think so, it's a long time.
12:24That tells you the quality of first the person,
12:28because to stay for ten years somewhere,
12:31I think you need to do a lot of things right
12:32and they are not regarding to tactics.
12:34It's about how you treat people, the culture at the club,
12:37the way you present yourself, the way you treat external people,
12:43a lot of things.
12:44And I think what he's done is remarkable.
12:46So, congratulations to him.
12:48Tomorrow we will face each other and I know it's going to be a difficult one.
12:52Okay, everyone, thanks very much.
12:53Yeah.
13:05Hello.
13:07Hey.
13:08Hey, guys.
13:10Shall we start with Simon?
13:12Have we got a microphone?
13:13Yeah.
13:14Hi, Mikel.
13:15How are you?
13:16Hi.
13:17I just wanted to ask you, probably quite a nice thing to talk about,
13:19but obviously you had that amazing experience at the World Cup
13:22in the summer with you, David and Martin going all the way with Spain.
13:26When you have an experience like that, how much confidence,
13:30how much help does it give you when you're now at Arsenal,
13:33trying to win the biggest club prize in the game, the Champions League?
13:36Well, first of all, good evening, everyone.
13:40With your permission, I would like to take this chance to send my condolences
13:45to Jesus de Miguel, his family, his teammates and everyone around him.
13:52Today is a very sad day for everyone and I just wanted to send all my love and care
13:56to all those people.
13:59Next, talking about what you just said, it's an honor
14:03and a privilege to be part of those little ones that have won the World Cup,
14:09the Euros and have had success with the national team.
14:15Honestly, it lifts your confidence, it's something that gives you energy to keep working,
14:23reflects that the hard work that you put in every single day has an answer.
14:30I'm extremely proud and full of confidence because of that as well.
14:34Does it translate and help with Arsenal when you're trying to achieve the big honours here as well?
14:38I think so, I think so. I believe that having won before gives you the experience to win again
14:47and having players around now that have won the Premier League,
14:50international players that have won international trophies,
14:54that helps a lot to create that winning culture that we want to create at Arsenal
14:57and hopefully that can help in the future.
14:59And just the last one, obviously, you had eight Arsenal players who were in that semi-final,
15:03but only three of you could go all the way.
15:05I just wondered how it was when you were coming back
15:07and obviously you've got the England boys who are maybe a bit disappointed,
15:10Sabib is disappointed. How was that sort of integration and how did it all go?
15:13A lot of banter, I can tell you that.
15:17Football is important and we know that many people are very focused on that.
15:24But it's a game and they're happy for us because we won it.
15:29We are friends, we are family and we can make jokes between each other.
15:35If we didn't win it, I would have loved for my teammates to win it.
15:40So, yeah, it's part of football and they are very happy that we won it.
15:43James?
15:45Hi, Mikel. You and the team are coming off a great result at Liverpool.
15:49And there was a lot of talk after that game in the analysis of how brilliantly Arsenal played,
15:54how brilliantly they defended.
15:55And your manager said the team have to enjoy that part of the game, the suffering, the off the ball.
16:02I just would like to get some insight from you as to what that mentality is like within the group
16:07and how much pride you take in that part of your game.
16:11As you said, the team has to love it.
16:14And I think this team is ready to love every aspect of the game, not only defending.
16:20We're talking about defending because most of the team don't like defending.
16:23But when you have to do it, you have to be ready to get dirty and to, you know, go
16:31and go for a tackle or block a shot.
16:34And I think in this team, we have that culture of, you know, being a 10 out of 10 in
16:40everything we do.
16:41And if it has to be defending because the context of the game is that you have to defend in
16:45low block,
16:46do the best way you can.
16:48And that's when big wins like the other day happen and hopefully more will come in the future.
16:54And for you personally, is that something that comes naturally to you
16:57or is that something you've had to learn to love?
17:00I think for me personally, it comes naturally.
17:03I've always loved every aspect of the game and defending has always been a main aspect for me
17:10since I was a kid and my father was talking to me about football.
17:14And for new players or for some of the players, it can be something cultural that they have to learn.
17:21And this club is the best place possible for you to learn it.
17:25I'll go to Issan and then just go along that row.
17:28Hi, Mikel.
17:29Often you're compared to managers that you've got these characteristics that mirror a manager.
17:35In what regard is that? And do you have managerial aspirations yourself for the future?
17:44Well, those characteristics can be, for example, like seeing football as global, as 11 players,
17:52not only thinking about myself.
17:54So it's more of what can I do to help my teammates, not only in game days, but also in
17:59a daily basis in training sessions.
18:01And in the future is something that I've spoken before about it.
18:05And I think it's too early still to talk about it.
18:10I like talking to managers.
18:12I like speaking to Mikel whenever I have the chance to learn and pick up his brains a little bit.
18:18But we will see in the future if that happens or not.
18:22We all know how obsessed Mikel Arteta is with defence and keeping clean sheets.
18:26That's obviously the core of what this team is and it's been for a while.
18:30Can you just give us an insight into what he does behind the scenes to kind of get you guys
18:34to do clean sheets?
18:36Because we know he's quite quirky in some ways.
18:37So what's he been doing to get you to defend so well?
18:41Well, you're saying he's obsessed with defending, but I think he's obsessed with everything that's around the game.
18:46He wants us to be the best at everything, not only defending.
18:50But yeah, every training session is a big opportunity for him to improve.
18:55Not only tactically or technically, which is at a very high level, not only in our squad, but in every
19:03squad.
19:03But I think the main difference right now is the mentality.
19:07We focus a lot on that, on being very competitive in training sessions, adapting to any context when things are
19:15going back.
19:16or things are going good.
19:17Don't change your rhythm.
19:19And yeah, be that hammer that wants to win every single game.
19:23Ed?
19:24Hi, Mikel.
19:25You've developed a bit of a reputation as a super sub for club and country.
19:30I just wondered, is it a bit frustrating for you that that's the role you've developed?
19:34You know, you want to start matches?
19:38I mean, I can't say that it's disappointing when they're saying something good about you.
19:44If I was playing, I would have, I mean, if I come as a sub, I want to do as
19:50good as I can.
19:51And if they're telling me that I'm doing my job, it's something I take pride of.
19:56It's not easy to come off the bench.
19:58And it's not easy for players at this level that we are either Walker winners or Euros winners.
20:04Or we come from clubs that we all play regularly to adapt to a new role and context.
20:09But this is what football is nowadays.
20:11You can't win big trophies or be alive in every competition till the end if you don't have a very
20:16deep squad.
20:17And we all have to fulfil our roles.
20:20That doesn't mean that I'm happy with the role I have or the role my teammates have.
20:25It's about trying to do your best whenever you have the chance of playing.
20:28And if you do your best, you're going to have more chances to play.
20:31And then who knows, maybe you're a regular starter.
20:34And just among the guys that aren't playing regularly in the Premier League,
20:38is there that sort of determination among you to get into the Premier League team?
20:42Because you want to be starting matches.
20:45Yeah, absolutely. That's the determination that we all have.
20:47As players, we are very competitive and we want to play every single game.
20:52The ones that are starting regularly want to keep playing.
20:54The ones that are on the bench, they want to come on and make the difference and start the next
20:59game.
21:00So that's massive competition that you need in a squad to push each other as teammates.
21:06And that's what we did all last season.
21:09And you could see that every player that came on the pitch did their job.
21:12And in the end, we won the Premier League because of that.
21:15Hi, Mikel. Just on Max Daumann, you're a very experienced and senior player.
21:21Did you feel the need to maybe put an arm around him or has anyone done that just to kind
21:26of have a word with him?
21:27I know he's been through a little bit of a tough week or so.
21:31Yeah, I think everyone. We try to do that every single time.
21:33We know this squad and this club is like a family. When things are going great, you congratulate him.
21:40When things are not going as good, you have to put an arm around him.
21:44And the good thing about it is that everyone is very close to each other.
21:50And he is the first one that is always keen to learn and to keep his head up.
21:55And this week has been, to be honest, very good for him in terms of training.
21:59I've seen him training very well. And he's always, with his eyes and ears open, keen to learn.
22:05And me as a veteran, in this case, I always try and help him in every aspect I can.
22:11So, yeah, we are very proud of him, of what he's achieving at such a young age.
22:17And he needs to keep learning, keep improving. And he knows that. And he will be a massive player in
22:22the future.
22:22Can you just give us an insight into kind of what he's like away from the cameras and the spotlight?
22:27Because it must be so difficult for such a young player to, you know, be in this position at, you
22:33know, one of the biggest clubs, if not the biggest club in England.
22:37He's just a kid. He's 16 years old. He's a super nice guy, shy. He doesn't want to bother anyone.
22:45He's just there to play football, enjoy and have fun.
22:50We'll do one here.
22:51Hello, Mikel, Iri from Czech Media. I have two questions.
22:55First of all, you played here exactly one year ago. You've scored two goals in the game.
22:59So how did you remember the game and what do you expect from tomorrow's opponents?
23:05Yeah, I remember a very tough game against an opponent that is very physical, that they want to run a
23:10lot.
23:10They press high and defend and then they are very vertical when they have the ball.
23:15And yeah, last season was a very good game for me personally, with two goals.
23:20Hopefully this year I can score at least one. I'm not going to ask for two.
23:26But yeah, tomorrow is going to be a super tough game again.
23:30We've got massive respect for them as a team and as a club and we know we are up for
23:35a big challenge.
23:36But the good thing is that we are ready and we come here to try and do our best.
23:40You are now coming as English champions, so can you tell us how did that fact change the mood between
23:47the players in the dressing room?
23:49Maybe mentally, maybe your self-confidence and can you tell us maybe are you even stronger this year thanks to
23:57the title?
23:58Yeah, I think it's similar to what I spoke about, about the World Cup and the Euros.
24:02When you win trophies, you create that hunger of keep winning.
24:06But at the same time, you have that confidence that you've done it once, so why not doing it twice,
24:11no?
24:11And I think this team, after winning the Premier League, we've got that energy, that mentality of keep winning, keep
24:18doing our best.
24:20And for sure, we will be very, very close of winning big titles again.
24:24We'll end with Nick at the back.
24:26Hi Michael, it's actually a similar question, apologies.
24:28What was it like, you know, yourself, Martin and David Raya, you left all your teammates with your Premier League
24:33medals
24:33and you came back with a World Cup as medals.
24:36What was that experience like for you and the guys?
24:39I mean, it was unreal, it was unbelievable.
24:42It's probably professionally the best summer in my life.
24:45Also, personally, I had amazing news, so I can't complain at all.
24:55Trophies, dreams that you have when you're a kid, you see them being completed.
25:02And yeah, it's just such a pride moment for you to live that World Cup, to win the most difficult
25:09league in the world.
25:11I'm just over the moon.
25:13And how difficult is it to sort of maintain that level?
25:15I'm thinking particularly maybe for Martin, who's, you know, this time last year was one of the best players in
25:19the team,
25:20in the country, and he's finding it harder to get starts now.
25:23Is that difficult?
25:24Obviously, it's hard.
25:25It's difficult for us players when you're used to playing games and suddenly you are not in the same role.
25:31It's very tough, but it's the job that you have to do.
25:35And he's a very focused guy. He knows his job. He knows his role at the moment.
25:40And the good thing about him is that I see him training every single day.
25:43And he's got the level and he's got the quality to be in the squad, to start regularly.
25:50To me, he's one of the best number sixes in the world and he's proven it.
25:55And he only needs chances to keep proving it.
25:58So, he understands that it's difficult because of the competition that we've got in this squad.
26:03It's probably the best midfield in the world.
26:05And, yeah, we all have to respect our role at the moment and do our best.
26:11And then it's Mikael's decision to put one or the other on the pitch.
26:17Cool. We'll end it there. Thank you, guys.
26:19Thank you so much, guys.
26:21Cheers.
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