Arsenal are reportedly unhappy behind the scenes after a private video of a club event was leaked online, showing Mikel Arteta confidently telling those in attendance: “On Saturday we will be European champions.”
The clip, which appears to have been filmed during Arsenal’s Premier League victory celebrations, has already been widely shared on social media, although the original upload has since been deleted.
X claims Arsenal feel Arteta has done nothing wrong, but are unhappy that private moments have become public with the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain just around the corner.
What makes this story so sensitive is the timing. Arsenal are preparing to face PSG in the Champions League final in Budapest on Saturday, May 30, just days after clinching their first Premier League title in 22 years.
Arsenal busy with league win celebrations
The atmosphere at the club was incredible, with Arteta’s side beating Crystal Palace 2-1 on the final day before celebrating the trophy at Selhurst Park.
After this historic moment, Arsenal players, staff and families reportedly celebrated at the Bacchanalia in Mayfair before some of the squad moved to other venues in London.
The night included a motivational speech from Arteta, who spoke of ambition, belief and the possibility of adding European glory to domestic success, according to reports.
That’s why the leaked video caused such a stir. In private, Arteta’s message is exactly what you would expect from a manager who seeks to inspire his players.
He’s not going to stand in front of a title-winning team and say, “Let’s hope for the best against PSG.”
Elite managers build belief. They speak with confidence. These make players feel like the next trophy is already within reach.
The problem is that soccer is emotional, and finals are often decided by close margins.
Arsenal are reportedly worried that the footage will reach PSG’s dressing room and be used as further motivation.
Gunners feel video can motivate PSG ahead of UCL final
Even if Arteta’s words were not rude, opponents can misinterpret them.
PSG may think that is arrogant. Luis Enrique may use it to motivate his players. That’s just how modern soccer works.
There are privacy issues here as well. Arsenal clearly believe the incident was internal and the club will not be happy if someone inside the room leaks the footage.
Arteta has built a very strict culture at Arsenal and moments like this can cause mistrust if players and staff feel that private team messages are no longer private.
Still, it’s worth remembering that Arteta has been publicly confident for several weeks now. After Arsenal reached the Champions League final, he spoke about the hunger within the team and the desire to create a special European night.
So while the leaked video went viral, the message itself wasn’t all that shocking.
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