Gracious Mikel Arteta praised for not giving "a hundred excuses" like Jose Mourinho

Classy Mikel Arteta has been contrasted with Jose Mourinho after Arsenal ended FK Bodo/Glimt’s long-winning home run in Europe.

The Norwegian champions had won their previous 14 matches at their Aspmyra Stadion before the Gunners won 1-0. That run included two wins over Mourinho’s Roma last season - including a 6-1 win in the Europa Conference League group stage.

And after victory over the Italians in the quarter-finals, there was a post-match altercation between the benches before the former Chelsea and Manchester United blamed the “plastic turf” for a knee injury to defender Gianluca Mancini. But after Arsenal’s win, Arteta was full of praise for the Norwegians.

“They deserve a lot of credit,” said the Spaniard. “I said before the Emirates that they’re a really good team who are going to cause you problems. The conditions of the pitch are another element where you could see it was too fast for us, but there are no excuses.”

And told about Arteta’s comments, Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen said: “It is nice. English people are nice and good at giving praise to others. We have to take that to heart. Today I feel we were competitive against them. I think he sees that. As well I think he also sees that there is a lot of similarity between the teams. I am excited about how Arsenal plays football and he is the same about how Glimt plays football.

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Mikel Arteta was complimentary about his Norwegian opponents (Sergei Gapon/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

“I haven’t spoken to Arteta - he is in the game and busy with his job. It wasn't like that when we met Roma. There were a hundred excuses. It's been a completely different attitude. That's the way it should be, you have to respect each other.

“I hope we can have the opportunity to visit Arsenal and get some inspiration. The way he has developed the team is extremely impressive.”

Knutsen has been linked with the jobs at Burnley, Blackburn and Brighton this year after leading Bodo from the Norwegian second division to two league titles. English football is the best football in the world,” he said. “You never know in the future.”