Gabriel Martinelli believes Arsenal players accept the scrutiny that comes with competing for major trophies. Arsenal reached the Champions League semi-finals after a 0-0 draw with Sporting CP on Wednesday, progressing 1-0 on aggregate. That tight result arrived during a difficult spell, with only one win from the last five matches in all competitions for Mikel Arteta’s side.
The only victory in that sequence came in Lisbon, where Kai Havertz struck late to secure a 1-0 first-leg success over Sporting CP. The goalless return match at Emirates Stadium then completed the job. Some pundits and supporters have questioned whether Arteta’s squad has the experience to finish strong in both domestic and European competitions.
Arsenal’s reward is a Champions
League semi-final against Atletico Madrid, after the clubs already met in the group stage. A place in the showpiece against either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich will be at stake. "Two times in a row in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Everyone is happy. I think we deserve that," Martinelli said.
Martinelli stressed that the squad must maintain standards over the coming weeks. "We’ve been playing well and we deserve that. Now, just enjoy tonight and we have a big one on Sunday as well. When we play in the Champions League it is always tough. There is not one single team that is not strong. We did well and we didn’t concede. We didn’t score as well but we take the draw and we are through. "
Discussing the pressure surrounding Arsenal’s season, Martinelli highlighted the expectations inside the club. "When you play for Arsenal you have to know how to deal with the pressure," he told TNT Sports. "We really like the pressure as well. We play for Arsenal, we are used to it. It’s a semi-final and fighting for the Premier League. "
Martinelli expects a different kind of contest against Atletico in the last four compared with the earlier meetings. "We played [Atletico] in the group stage but this will be a completely different game. We have to earn the right, we have to do things right in the game as well. Let’s keep it up and try to win both games. "
That statistic underlines the shift in recent Champions League campaigns.2 - Arsenal have reached the UEFA Champions League semi-final in back-to-back seasons, after having only made two previous European Cup/Champions League semi-finals before this (2005-06 and 2008-09). Standards. pic.twitter.com/rDja5MhiV2OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 15, 2026
Domestically, Arsenal arrive at a crucial Premier League fixture after a setback. A surprise home defeat against Bournemouth has cut the margin at the top of the table. Arsenal lead Manchester City by six points, but City hold a game in hand before Sunday’s meeting between the sides, which could reshape the title race.
Recent domestic cup results have also gone against Arsenal. Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-0 in the EFL Cup final before the March international break. Arsenal then exited the FA Cup with a loss to Southampton. Despite those setbacks, Opta’s supercomputer rates Arsenal as favourites for both the Premier League title, at 86.1%, and the Champions League, at 36.8%, reflecting the position built across the season.
