Sports 7 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Arteta Urges Arsenal to Turn Cup Losses into Fuel for Champions League Clash
Mikel Arteta has called on his Arsenal players to channel the frustration from recent back-to-back cup defeats into motivation ahead of their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting in Lisbon. Key players like Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, and Jurrien Timber are sidelined with injuries, though others including Gabriel Magalhaes and Declan Rice are fit. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/sports/soccer/arteta-says-players-need-to-channel-frustration-into-motivation--5415394
Arsenal arrived in Lisbon nursing wounds from their first consecutive defeats of the season: a 2-0 loss to Manchester City in the League Cup final and a 1-2 upset by Championship outfit Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Manager Mikel Arteta emphasized using this setback as drive for Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting. ‘Feel the pain, use it to improve,’ he told reporters, stressing the need for perspective on their strong campaign so far.
With the team now down to just Premier League and Champions League action, Arteta advocated calm analysis over panic. ‘Understand why it happened and be better,’ he added.
Injuries rule out Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, and Jurrien Timber for the first leg, as they stayed behind in London, but Arteta hopes for their return soon. Positively, Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice, and Leandro Trossard trained and are available.
Sporting, unbeaten at home in Europe this season, enter as Portuguese champions. Midfielder Maxi Araujo dismissed favoritism talk, saying both teams are in form. Manager Rui Borges expects a motivated Arsenal, making the tie tougher.
The second leg is set for April 15 at the Emirates, with Arsenal hosting Bournemouth in the Premier League beforehand on Saturday.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)