After lifting the Premier League trophy in front of our supporters to end our 22-year-long wait for a trophy, Mikel Arteta admitted that it was more incredible than he could ever have envisaged.
The boss finally managed to get his hands on the trophy after five days of celebrations following us clinching the championship on Tuesday, and he capped off the feel-good factor by beating Crystal Palace 2-1 at Selhurst Park on our 38th and final game of an incredible league campaign.
And after savouring the moment with the visiting supporters in south London and his title-winning squad, he suggested that even though he regularly mentioned everyone picturing the title-winning scenes and manifesting them to try and make them real, the reality was so much better than he could have imagined.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” he added. “I’ve been trying to go through this moment a few times, but I could never expect it to be that big, to be that beautiful, and to see so much joy and pride amongst all the people and our supporters.
“I think sometimes you need to reflect on that, because everything has happened so fast and in such a special way as well. But I really want to enjoy this moment, at least today. Tomorrow we’ll start to prepare for the final in Budapest, and I can’t wait to write a new chapter in the history of our football club.”
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Unlike our other Premier League-winning campaigns, the trophy was lifted on the other side of the capital at Selhurst Park, but after waiting since 2004 for our ribbons to be added to it, Mikel didn’t mind too much.
Having seen the scenes at our training ground, outside Emirates Stadium and now in SE25, he feels that everyone has had a chance to share the moment with as many people as possible, and with a Champions League final in Budapest as well as a trophy parade around the streets of Islington to come in the next seven days, he hopes there is plenty more partying to be done.
“I thought we were going to win it at Emirates Stadium at some point, and it happened in a completely different manner to what anyone expected,” he added. “But it was magical being around the players, your family and having some time to reflect.
“We lived that again today. We’ll have the parade after the final of the Champions League as well, so what a moment.
“We’re going to use all this energy, positivity and confidence that we have into that pitch in Budapest, and win it.”
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