The Gunners Head Coach thanked Man City boss Pep Guardiola after his side beat Chelsea to lift the club’s 14th. FA Cup trophy.
Arsenal beat London rival 2-1 on Saturday as club captain Pierre -Emerick Aubameyang scored twice to cancel Christian Pulisic opener in the 5th minute of the game.
Mikel Arteta worked alongside Pep Guardiola as an assistant coach to the city boss from 2016 before he was snapped up by Arsenal in 2019
While speaking with BT Sport, he said
“I have to say thank you to Pep in every way because I am a manager now in big part thanks to him,” Arteta told BT Sport after the match.
“If someone had told me when I started that I would go through this and just see the spirit in that dressing room with the staff and what we have been creating — that is what I am most proud of.”
“It is an incredible way to finish the season. It has been a really weird year,” Arteta said.
“I was brought here with the intention of bringing the club back to where it was which is winning trophies so thank you so much for the club in trusting me and the players following and the spirit they created and obviously the fans.”
The manager who won the FA Cup as player said winning it has a manager gives an even better feeling.
“I think it is even better because I know the context,” he added. “I know the situation we had when we joined so to turn the situation around and see them, just those faces, make people happy. The staff the effort they made. It has paid for all the moments we have suffered.”
As the FA Cup winner Arsenal have now qualified for the group stage of the Europa League, which they could not attain due to their poor league standing.
The trophy was also an important part of keeping the club captain at the club, as rumors continue to fly about his future.
“I had a conversation with him, I think he wants to stay,” Arteta added.
“Let’s try to get it done and we can have him for another few years.”
