Arsenal's return to the height of the Premier League has brought with it some optimism that the Gunners are here to stay, with a young squad capable of challenging for seasons to come. While the title is still undecided this campaign, one key difference glancing at next year will be the squad's return to the Champions League.
It's been nearly seven-years since the side last qualified for the top European competition, bringing with it a bigger spotlight and a financial boost too. It's a moment that will likely be celebrated on a small scale, even if the bigger prize of the league does slip into the hands of Manchester City.
“Within the disappointment and the spirit around [the club], we need to do two things - recognise what a lot of people around the club have done to get us back into the Champions League, which was already a difficult thing to achieve," Mikel Arteta said on returning to the competition earlier this month. “Not a lot of people were very optimistic that we had the ability to do that at the start of the season, and we need to start recognising the good work that a lot of people have done to achieve that."
