Arsenal have not reached ‘highest mountain’, says Arteta

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal have not reached the highest mountain so far in terms of their success as they prepare for their Champions League tie against Bayern Munich.

Last season, Arsenal ended their long wait for a Premier League title – having finished as runners-up in each of the previous three campaigns, they topped the pile for the first time since 2003-04.

For much of 2025-26, they were on course to win a quadruple, before losing the EFL Cup final to Manchester City and being shocked in the FA Cup quarter-finals by Southampton.

They also reached the Champions League final as they remained in search of their first-ever crown in the competition but lost 4-3 on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain after a 1-1 draw.

Arsenal are once again targeting silverware this time around and have already made a strong start to the Champions League, winning both matches so far.

And Arteta is excited to keep pushing the team to see what they can achieve.

“I think we have reached a mountain [with their Premier League triumph], but not the highest one or the one that I certainly visualise,” Arteta said on Inside the Game for HBO Max.

“We have achieved an objective, which was part of a chapter, and then we have to go to the next one.

“We talk about being able to win again, and especially how we are going to approach that mentality and that journey. It is very, very important, and I am super excited about it.

“The consistency is probably the hardest thing to do.

“To keep all the things that have taken you to reach that objective, but actually being able again to inspire and to lead those guys, that they can still reach another level and the same ambition.”

Munich awaits https://t.co/CMKzJrw1TP

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 20, 2026

Arsenal have won each of their last 14 Champions League group-stage matches, and since they returned to the competition in 2023, only PSG and Real Madrid (both 28) have won more games overall in the competition than the Gunners (27, level with Bayern).

They have lost 53% of their games against Bayern (8/15) – of the sides they have faced at least five times in major European competition, only against Barcelona (67% – 6/9) do they have a higher loss percentage.

Having beaten Vincent Kompany’s side 3-1 at home in the last term, this is another big test for Arsenal, who are looking to replicate their perfect record, having won all eight league-phase games.

Arteta has full confidence in his team for the 2026-27 campaign and is relishing the chance to protect the winning culture he has honed.

“Well, first of all, [we need to] maintain a lot of the foundations and the powerful thing that we have within the club and within the team, the habits and the behaviours that we have,” Arteta said.

“To be able from there to evolve and be very curious to evolve, very willing to go again and find the best version of yourself.

“I have to be someone that is able to ignite and lead that mentality every single day, so that we are always better and we are always improving.

“There will be setbacks, and there will be learning moments for us, and they are going to make us better.

“I think you can ignite that competitiveness within people, but I think you have to have it already.

“You need an edge to be able to do that, because when you are a winner, you are a winner when you are training, when you are playing padel or table tennis or chess or whatever.

“You actually love winning, and it is something that you strive for. If it is not there and it is not natural, maybe you can do it for a period of time, but long-term, I think it is difficult to achieve.”

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