Arsenal sit level with Atletico Madrid in their Champions League semi-final, while also chasing the Premier League title, and Mikel Arteta has highlighted the strain on the squad as the schedule tightens, even as Arteta praised the outstanding quality on display between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
Before the second leg against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, Arsenal return to league duty, hosting Fulham at Emirates Stadium on Saturday. Victory could move Arsenal six points ahead of second-place Manchester City, who play on Monday, but Arteta stressed the importance of staying locked on the next task.
"We know that we can only focus on one game, and that game has enough difficulties and challenges that thinking in a different way is not
going to be helpful at all," Arteta said. "The players' reaction immediately after that is:'Now it's Fulham, and now it's Fulham, and now it's Fulham' immediately in the dressing room. "
𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛𝘿𝘼𝙔 Fulham 5.30pm (UK) Premier League Emirates Stadium @Airwallex pic.twitter.com/DTLGmZ1vgQArsenal (@Arsenal) May 2, 2026
Arteta added that the squad understand the sequence of challenges. "They know that. They will have time to prepare for Atletico Madrid, and after that, we will have more separation in games. " Arteta described this spell as especially tight, saying: "We know that this very particular period and short turnaround, just focus on Fulham, and we will take care of the rest afterwards. "
The first meeting with Atletico Madrid ended 1-1 at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Wednesday, with Arsenal and Atletico sharing the spoils after a demanding contest. That result left the last-four clash finely poised at the halfway stage, adding further weight to the second leg scheduled for Tuesday.
While Arsenal battled Atletico Madrid, the other semi-final produced a very different spectacle. Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayern Munich 5-4 at Parc des Princes, matching the highest-scoring European Cup or Champions League semi-final, set when Eintracht Frankfurt beat Rangers 6-3 in the 1959-60 season.
| Season | Match | Score | Venue | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-60 | Eintracht Frankfurt vs Rangers | 6-3 | Neutral venue | Highest-scoring semi-final |
| 2025-26 | Paris Saint-Germain vs Bayern Munich | 5-4 | Parc des Princes | Matched record total |
Arteta was struck by the technical level in that nine-goal encounter. "Bayern-PSG is probably the best game I have ever witnessed on the quality of two teams, and especially the individual quality that the players deliver," he told reporters. "I've never seen something like this. " Arteta linked those levels to how rested the players appeared.
"But when I look at the amount of minutes and the freshness of those players, then I'm not surprised. " Arteta argued that physical demands differ strongly between domestic competitions. "To deliver those moments of quality, you have to be very fresh, and the difference in the leagues and the way they compete is night and day, and you just have to see a lot of stats that have been recently around it. "
Arteta believes wider context is vital when comparing Arsenal with clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich. "We are competing in two different worlds, so you cannot compare one part of that without giving any context to that. I don't think it's fair. " Arsenal now attempt to manage that gap while pursuing both a Champions League final place and the Premier League crown.
