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Following the match, Arteta said:

“I’m really happy with the win. It’s the result we wanted. They were a very well-organized side, making it tough to break through and create chances. However, I think we created plenty today. In my opinion, the scoreline should have been wider. We should’ve defended our box better and stopped the sequence of play that led to their goal. What I liked was that despite the emotional stakes, we stayed very calm, and the way we took those penalties was composed and clinical.”

This win marks Mikel Arteta’s fifth penalty shootout victory in his six years in charge. Since 2020, they’ve converted 32 out of 35 penalties across seven shootouts. Arteta evaluated the performance:

“The shootout was incredible. The approach was different, but the players once again showed massive composure, strong personality, and the quality to find the net. We executed it perfectly, and in the end, Kepa did exactly what he needed to do to get the team into the next round.”

With this result, Arsenal heads into Christmas leading the Premier League, leading the Champions League league phase, and as Carabao Cup semi-finalists. The manager added:

“We are still competing in every tournament, and the team is consistently showing quality and unity. We made 8 rotations today, and seeing a team look this organized under those circumstances is rare. I’m proud of what they showed. There were some outstanding individual performances. It’s a very satisfying night.”

Finally, he left a message for the fans:

“Once again, ahead of Christmas, I want to thank all the fans who came out to create such a fantastic atmosphere. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”