Arsenal's brightest star: Coach Arteta

Arsenal have reached the Champions League final after a 20-year wait and are now on the verge of winning the Premier League this season as well. The person most responsible for this is none other than manager Mikel Arteta.

Manager Arteta is on the verge of achieving a historic double with Arsenal - Photo: AFP

Arsenal defeated Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid in the early hours of May 6th with a 2-1 aggregate score over two legs in the semi-finals to secure their place in the Champions League final.

The last time Arsenal fans experienced this feeling was in 2006. It was an emotional night at Villarreal, when goalkeeper Jens Lehmann saved Riquelme's penalty. Back then, Cesc Fabregas, Thierry Henry, and Sol Campbell were Arsenal's heroes. Today, history calls upon Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Viktor Gyokeres, and above all, manager Mikel Arteta.

The transformation journey

To reach where they are today, the North London team has had to overcome a long and arduous journey. And the man at the helm, guiding them through the storms, is Mikel Arteta - the Spanish strategist.

Looking back over the six years since Arteta, the former Arsenal player, returned to his old home, many fans are hoping for success similar to the 2025-2026 season. Taking office at the end of 2019, Arteta inherited a dispirited, directionless Arsenal mired in crisis after the departure of Arsene Wenger.

Despite starting the 2019-2020 season with a hopeful FA Cup title and two Community Shields (2020 and 2023), the pressure on the manager born in 1982 has always been immense. In fact, there have been periods when Arsenal fans' patience reached its limit. Numerous criticisms have emerged as Arsenal repeatedly stumbled in long-term title races against their rivals.

Many doubted that Arteta had "reached his limit" and felt he hadn't yet reached the level of a top-tier coach. However, Arteta remained steadfast in his systematic approach: restructuring the squad, establishing strict discipline, and building a distinctive playing style. Under Arteta's guidance, the culture at Arsenal has completely transformed. He has turned the London Colney training ground into an environment that demands maximum effort. His ability to develop young players is also highly regarded.

For example, Bukayo Saka rose from a young talent to become a world-class superstar, while William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes became one of the most complete central defensive partnerships in Europe.

Arsenal are currently the strongest contenders for the Premier League title this season - Photo: AP

The moment to reap the sweet rewards.

The 2025-2026 season is witnessing the perfect peak performance of the golden generation nurtured by the Spanish strategist. The recent second leg of the semi-final against Atletico Madrid is the clearest example of their maturity.

Against a seasoned opponent like Atletico Madrid, Arsenal defended proactively, pressed aggressively, and knew how to finish off their rivals at the decisive moment. Bukayo Saka's solitary goal at the end of the first half was enough to secure their place in the Champions League final this season. All the players formed a united team, fighting for the emblem on their chests and the belief of their coach on the sidelines.

After the final whistle, even coach Diego Simeone had high praise for his counterpart: "Mikel Arteta has done an extraordinary job. I'm really happy for Arsenal. They deserve it because they've worked hard for many years."

Arsenal are now on the verge of a historic milestone. In domestic competition, they lead the Premier League table and are perfectly capitalizing on Manchester City's slip-up against Everton to have their fate in their own hands in the title race. And most importantly, Arsenal have the opportunity to win the Champions League for the first time.

After 20 years of agonizing waiting for a Champions League final, and more than two decades of yearning for the Premier League trophy, Arsenal fans finally have the right to dream of a great double.

Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming matches, manager Mikel Arteta certainly deserves more praise for his years of dedication to Arsenal.

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THANH DINH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ngoi-sao-sang-nhat-arsenal-hlv-arteta-20260507084725779.htm