Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall hailed Mikel Arteta’s assessment of their “beautiful” and “inspiring” Women’s Champions League quarter-final victory as a perfect example of the “one-club” atmosphere in north London.
Eidevall’s Premier League counterpart was one of the 21,307 in attendance at the Emirates on Wednesday night to witness the Gunners’ 2-0 triumph over Bayern Munich, securing the home side a first trip to a Champions League final four in a decade.
Arteta was effusive in his assessment of the match, which broke a UK UWCL attendance record, saying: “It was beautiful. It was great to have the experience to live it there and the crowd that we had in the game, especially the way they played in the first half, it was a real joy to watch.
“It is a big achievement, it hasn’t happened for many, many years at the club and we have to catch them up. This is the beauty of it, getting things inside the club that are inspiring each other and can make us closer and better.”
Arsenal still have a chance of sweeping both English top-flight trophies this season. Arteta’s men are eight points clear of Manchester City, who have played one fewer game, while just three points separate the top four sides in the Women’s Super League.
Eidevall’s group sit fourth but have a game in hand over the top two sides, Manchester United and Manchester City, and will host the latter in a critical clash on Sunday afternoon.
While Eidevall was pleased to hear about Arteta’s compliments, he was hardly surprised by the support, saying: “When you work inside the club you understand that these words are not only words, they are actions, and you feel like you are working in one club.
“That’s the environment that has been created here, and we are all very thankful to be in that and to be inspired with all the great coaches and great players that are inside these buildings.”
Eidevall said the club are “hopeful” Katie McCabe, who hobbled off against Bayern and later returned on crutches and wearing a protective boot, could still be available for the City contest after undergoing scans this week.
The outlook for Kim Little, also injured in the midweek match-up, was less optimistic, with the captain continuing to undergo assessments to determine the full extent of her injury.
Arsenal, who have ambitions to one day play all of their women’s matches at the Emirates, have in two days already sold 10,000 tickets for their Champions League semi-final second leg against Wolfsburg on May 1.
They have also sold out the City fixture. Still, the 4,500-seat Meadow Park could nonetheless feel – just days later – considerably quieter than Wednesday’s electric atmosphere at the Emirates.
Eidevall insisted that was not likely to affect his side, adding: “We’re used to it. The players are used to it. That’s also a way where you need to show adaptability. It’s not always easy, but they go to Wembley in front of 90,000 and then they go back and they play pre-season in front of almost no-one.
“But you still need to be 100 per cent in what you do.”
