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Mikel Arteta wants to see his Premier League contenders Arsenal show they are ready and have the quality to challenge for the Champions League.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has called on his Premier League contenders to demonstrate their readiness for Champions League, UCL, success ahead of a meeting with Super Eagles star Ademola Lookman.
The Gunners are set to face Europa League winners Atalanta BC, led by Nigerian international Lookman, in what promises to be an explosive clash on Thursday night.
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11:59 - 18.09.2024
Emmanuel Amuneke backs Ademola Lookman to succeed Victor Osimhen as Africa's best
Amuneke helped the Super Eagles win the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia and won African Footballer of the Year in the same year.
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In his pre-match press conference, Arteta expressed his ambitions for the team, stating, "Last year was a great campaign for us.”
“We got to a place where we hadn't been as a club for 16 or 18 years, but we weren't happy or satisfied."
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"I think we have the ability. We certainly have the quality – and now we have to prove it," he told UEFA. "Hopefully, we have learned and we can show the composure, the determination and the belief that is very important at this stage."
The Spanish manager's comments come as Arsenal prepares for their second consecutive Champions League campaign under his leadership.
Last season saw the Gunners reach the quarter-finals, their best performance in the competition since the 2009/2010 season.
Their opponents, Atalanta, are riding high following their historic Europa League triumph last season, spearheaded by Lookman's memorable hat-trick in the final.
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The Italian side is making only their fourth appearance in the Champions League, but have already proven their mettle by reaching the knockout stages in two of their previous three campaigns.
This fixture marks the first-ever meeting between Arsenal and Atalanta at this level of European competition.
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Football fans are particularly excited about the potential face-off between two players of Nigerian heritage: Arsenal's Bukayo Saka and Atalanta's Ademola Lookman.
The match is scheduled for Thursday night in Bergamo, Italy. As both teams aim to make a strong start in this year's Champions League, fans can expect a thrilling encounter between these in-form sides.
Arsenal will be looking to build on their recent domestic form and translate it into European success, while Atalanta aims to prove that their Europa League victory was just the beginning of their continental ambitions.
With talented squads on both sides, this match could set the tone for both teams' Champions League campaigns.
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