Arteta Apologises to Arsenal Players Over Lineup Choice Before Atletico Madrid Champions League Win

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has disclosed that he sought out individual players to apologise before naming an unchanged lineup from the club’s previous fixture against Fulham, ahead of the decisive Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid on May 6, 2026.

The Gunners secured a 2-1 aggregate victory at the Emirates Stadium, with Bukayo Saka scoring the only goal of the night after capitalising on a save from Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak. The result confirmed Arsenal’s place in the Champions League final — their first appearance in the competition’s showpiece event since a 2-1 defeat to Barcelona in 2006, a span of two decades.

Speaking to media after the match, Arteta explained the exchange he had with his players in the build-up to the game. “I went to some of the players and told them: I’m sorry, but I’ll be picking the same lineup against Fulham,” Arteta said, as reported by Fabrizio Romano on X. “They said to me: Boss! We’re here whenever you need us, and then they hugged me.”

The decision to retain an unchanged XI centred on the inclusion of Myles Lewis-Skelly in midfield, who came into the side in place of Martin Zubimendi. The youngster had impressed in the Fulham fixture, earning his starting berth on merit following a dip in form from Zubimendi in preceding weeks. Lewis-Skelly carried that form into the Atletico tie, helping Arsenal establish greater control in the middle of the park and facilitating more purposeful forward play throughout the contest.

The victory extended Arsenal’s unbeaten run to 11 matches — a sequence that has underpinned their progression to the final, scheduled to be held in Budapest. The result also marked a significant milestone for Arteta, who continues to accumulate records in what has become a landmark season for the north London club.

Arsenal will now await the outcome of the other semi-final between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain to determine their opponents in the final. The prospect of a first European Cup triumph since 1994 — when the club, then competing as a different entity in the Cup Winners’ Cup — adds further weight to the occasion. Arsenal have never won the UEFA Champions League in its current format.

Saka’s winning goal underscored his importance to Arsenal’s campaign. The England international has been one of the club’s standout performers throughout the knockout rounds, and his composure in front of goal at a critical juncture proved decisive against Diego Simeone’s side.

Arteta’s comments shed light on the internal culture at the club, where squad harmony has been cited as a contributing factor to their consistency this season. The manager’s willingness to address players individually over selection decisions reflects an approach to man-management that has drawn widespread attention during Arsenal’s run to the final.