Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta arrives to take a team training session at London Colney, north of London, on April 14, 2026, on the eve of their UEFA Champions League, quarter-final, second leg football match against Sporting Lisbon. (AFP)
A crucial week for Arsenal starts Wednesday night against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Mikel Arteta's team faces two huge games in its pursuit of a Premier League and Champions League double this season.
Leading 1-0 against Lisbon after the first leg in Portugal last week, Arsenal is closing in on a place in the semi-finals for the second successive year. Then on Sunday it faces Manchester City in a top two showdown in the Premier League.
Arteta said there was “zero fear” ahead of a potentially pivotal few days.
“We are in April, we have an incredible opportunity ahead of us. Let’s confront it, let’s go for it by really putting absolutely everything into it,” he said.
Arsenal's form has slumped in recent weeks — losing the English League Cup final against City and then being dumped out of the FA Cup by second division Southampton. Last weekend it was beaten at home in the league by Bournemouth, allowing City to close the gap at the top of the standings to six points with a game in hand.
For now, the focus is on the Champions League, a trophy Arsenal has never won.
“I said to the players, ‘guys, we are trying to do something that hasn’t been done in the history of the club in 140 years. So that tells you the difficulty of what you are doing,’” Arteta said.
Declan Rice faced a late fitness test after missing practice on Tuesday. Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber were also doubtful starters.
Arsenal or Lisbon will face Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals after the Spanish club beat Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate.
