Mikel Arteta has admitted he was too nervous to watch Manchester City's match that confirmed Arsenal as Premier League champions, revealing he spent the game pacing his garden and cooking on the barbecue. The Spaniard, known for his intense demeanour, showed a rare vulnerable side as he reflected on the title win.
Arteta told how his son rushed out to inform him of the result, and he became emotional when discussing the support of his wife. 'She is the person and the reason why I have kept my composure, my self-confidence, my energy at the level that was required to do what we've done for the last six-and-a-half years,' he said. 'Without her, none of that would have happened.'
The Arsenal boss also admitted to periods of self-doubt during his tenure, questioning whether he was good enough to lead the club back to silverware. Now champions, Arteta and his players will lift the trophy on Sunday against Crystal Palace before turning attention to the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.
'On Sunday, we'll have a little window there again to celebrate, to lift the trophy in a manner that it deserves, to connect with the people who are constantly around us,' Arteta said. 'But then we have six days that we need to write a new history in this football club.'
