Mikel Arteta is not here to play it safe. Despite Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final looming large next week against PSG, the boss made it crystal clear there will be no resting key players when Crystal Palace visit the Emirates on Wednesday.
Why? Simple. Arsenal don’t do “half-measures.”
“We can’t think like that,” Arteta said, when asked if he’d wrap stars like Bukayo Saka or Gabriel Martinelli in cotton wool. “When players are fit and hungry, they play. That’s how they stay sharp. That’s how they lead.”
It’s a bold move, especially when the league is essentially out of reach barring a collapse from Liverpool. But Arteta knows momentum is gold. The Gunners are wounded, numbers are thin, but there’s belief. A five-day gap after Palace gives Arsenal a rare breather before going head-to-head with Mbappé and co.
Let’s not forget this Arsenal side just sent Real Madrid packing at the Bernabeu. Saka, freshly back from injury, was electric. Martinelli? Reborn. That Champions League hunger is burning. And Arteta wants to keep that fire lit.
On Saka, who took a brutal hit vs Ipswich: “He’s calm, focused, intelligent. You can’t coach that. That’s just Bukayo being Bukayo.”
Also Read Our Article On “Arsenal 3-0 Real Madrid: A European Classic in the Making“
Martinelli? “He wants to play every minute of every game,” Arteta said. “That’s the type of leader we need.”
Arteta’s words weren’t just tactical they were spiritual. “If we need to be emotional, tactical, calm or tense, we’ll sense it and act. But we’ll be ready.”
Make no mistake. Arteta isn’t sacrificing the league. He’s using it. Arsenal aren’t just preparing for PSG they’re sharpening their swords.
This isn’t rotation season. It’s Redemption Season.
Let the world watch.
