Lukas Podolski has challenged Mikel Arteta to get Arsenal back into the Champions League after his fine start as Arsenal’s manager.
Arteta was named Arsenal’s manager late last year after the Gunners made a poor start under Unai Emery.
He joined an Arsenal team that had no identity or direction, and the players were already tired of playing for the club.
The Spaniard had an enormous task both on the field and off it, and he seems to have taken the Challenge well.
Podolski, who was teammates with Arteta for three years at the Emirates has been impressed by the Spaniard’s achievements so far, but he has set a bigger challenge for his former teammate to conquer by asking him to target a return to the Champions League.
Arsenal hasn’t played in the Champions League since the 2016/2017 season after they were eliminated by Bayern Munich, and Podolski thinks that the club is big enough to compete in the competition.
Speaking to Arsenal legend Ian Wright in a YouTube video for Adidas, Podolski said: “Yeah I see it, like you explained, the level going up depends on running, fighting spirit.
“You see there’s more of a team on the pitch [under Arteta].
“With the fans, Arsenal is like one of the big five teams in the world.
“With this potential, we have to play every year Champions League and fight for the title, every year.
“We have to invest and I hope Mikel with his team around are doing a great job for next season.”
Love how he says ‘we’….
Once a gooner! ❤