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Mikel Arteta defends Arsenal as ‘one of the world’s best clubs’ over claims Super League slot was undeserved
Mikel Arteta has hit back at those who questioned whether Arsenal deserved to be part of a Super League by insisting that they are “one of the best clubs in the world”.
The Gunners were part of 12 clubs to sign up to a European Super League, which collapsed on Tuesday as the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ all withdrew.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, the competition’s leader, has insisted it is on “standby” but it now appears dead in the water.
Clubs were heavily criticised for taking part, however Arsenal and Tottenham also came under fire as many felt they were not good enough to be in the Super League.
The pair are both sat outside the Premier League’s top four, with the Gunners currently ninth in the table.
But asked what his response would be to people who said Arsenal didn’t deserve to be in the Super League, Arteta said: “That we are one of the best clubs in the world, and we could not be any prouder to represent this club, its history, and we totally understand the demands and the excellence that we have to be pursuing.
“You cannot deny the history, and that history is attached to results, it’s attached to a certain way of doing things, to certain values, to representing those in the right manner, to having the amount of support and love that we have around the world.
“And that’s not a coincidence, that’s been earned over years and years with merit to a lot of people who have been involved in the history of the football club.”
Arsenal have since apologised to their fans for trying to join the Super League, but Arteta admitted that some reputational damage has been done.
“Some damage has been done, that’s for sure,” he said.
“And now it’s our job individually to try to rebuild that trust with everybody, first with our supporters, then with all the other clubs in the Premier League, then with everybody in Europe and around the world.
“Probably with more time we will be able to do that, the club will be able to explain a little bit in detail the processes that they went through to make that decision, and hopefully, slowly, we will gain some of that territory back.”
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