Mikel Arteta addresses Gabriel incident as Arsenal boss backs players to learn from Bayern Munich struggles
Mikel Arteta is backing his Arsenal players to learn from their struggles during the first leg of this week’s Champions League quarter-final with Bayern Munich.
The Gunners conceded two sloppy goals against the German champions to draw 2-2 at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
Many of the Arsenal squad are playing in the Champions League for this time this season, while even more have not gone this deep in the competition.
Arteta, however, is backing his side to learn on the job ahead of the second leg of their tie with Bayern in Munich on Wednesday.
“For sure it’s like putting miles in a car,” he said. “If you have more miles, you have more baggage, more experience, and that’s needed, especially in this competition.
“There is a lot to learn from the other day and there are a lot of positive things to take as well.
“Obviously when we concede two goals the way that we have done it does affect [the team] but it’s what you do afterwards.
“When you are losing 2-1 after being in total control of the match you have to play that game. And you’ve never done it and it’s Bayern Munich and you’re 2-1 down when the expectation was very different and now you have to cope with that.
“I think the players were exceptional at that because any other team [makes a choking noise] collapses and we didn’t.
“We stayed in the game and were focused. We made some changes who had some impact and we got a draw. I will have learned a lot so it was a great experience to have.”
Arsenal were also relieved during their 2-2 draw in the first leg to not concede a penalty when Gabriel handled the ball in the box.
The centre-back did not realise the referee had blown the whistle and picked up the ball when it was passed to him by David Raya from a goal kick.
The referee did not give a penalty and Bayern were furious, but Arteta believes the right call was made - even if he will speak to his players to warn them to be more careful in future.
“Just to clarify I think it is worth doing it (speaking to them) so next time just in case don’t do it again,” he said.
“I think the referees used the law and the law says to use common sense and whether you take an advantage from that situation which there isn’t advantage.”