Arsenal will take on Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium today, with kick-off at 4:30pm UK time.
It’s a huge chance for the Gunners to end their six-year wait for major silverware and land their first trophy under Mikel Arteta since 2020.
The Arsenal boss, along with players including captain Martin Ødegaard, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, forward Kai Havertz, and defenders Ben White and Gabriel, have all shared their thoughts ahead of the clash against Pep Guardiola’s side.
Mikel Arteta: “We’re all really looking forward to this Carabao Cup final today. It’s going to be a big day and of course the most important thing is making sure we get the outcome we want.
“It’s our first appearance in a final since 2020, and it’s great to share these special moments together with our supporters. It’s going to be a different occasion to the FA Cup final in 2020 because we will have our people with us in the stadium this time, and that changes everything.
“Having our supporters together, sharing the moment, makes it more special. We deserve to be in this position to be able to win a trophy, and it’s always what you want – to be able to share these moments with your people, so let’s make the most of that opportunity, and do it together.”
More from Arteta: “For us, we can’t wait for the game to start. It’s a chance to make some history for the club. We haven’t won the League Cup since 1993, so it’s about time we did it again. That’s what we all want, to work hard and make our supporters proud.
“When you get to these moments, these opportunities, you have to deliver on the day. Let’s play in the manner that we’ve done all year, all the way through the competition, enjoying matches in front of our people.
“Whenever you have the chance to get over the line and win a trophy, it’s a big day. If we can do that, it will bring something very special to the team. It will add another level of conviction, belief and energy.
“To be able to share a beautiful moment always brings you closer to having some other ones that are also really, really positive.
“We know the importance of that, so now it’s down to us, all of us – players, coaches, staff, supporters – to make sure we do it together.”
Martin Ødegaard: “Just to bring the noise, that’s the key. We want to feel them from the first minute & we want to do this together. We need them to be on fire & then we will bring the noise on the pitch.”
Kepa: “I have played in the League Cup final before, but I have played many finals in my career, I have been lucky in that way. So I will just approach the game the best way that I can. We will prepare everything in the best way, because at the end the aim is to win. Just focus on the game, focus on us and prepare for the opponent. That’s it.
“I don’t think we need to approach anything differently, we have big players who have played in big games, in finals, in the Euros, in the World Cup, in the Champions League. We know what it is to play in big games every three days.
“Manchester City have great players in every position, they are one of the strongest teams without a doubt. They have a lot of different options and depth of quality. For us though, hopefully this could be a way for us to open our trophy cabinet, and to keep it open.”
Ben White: “It’s going to be amazing. A lot of work has gone into getting to where we are, and we’re looking to finish it off. It’s a cup, I’ve played a lot of games in this season, so it’s nice to get to the end and having a chance of getting some silverware.”
“The atmosphere (at Wembley) is obviously going to be amazing. We know what it means to win, but we know what we need to do, just believe in ourselves and hopefully get over the line.
“When there’s a bit of pressure on the line, that’s when the top, top players come out, and the top teams. I believe that we are [one of those teams], so it’s exciting for us.”
Kai Havertz: “I’ve worked all my life to play these kind of games. I would never put pressure on my shoulders. It’s just about going out and enjoying it because you don’t have a lot of games like this to play in your career.”
Gabriel: “I think it’s a really good feeling to play for this club, to be in the final, against a top team as well. We have a good feeling and can’t wait for Sunday.
“We need to push our fans to be behind us, so in a game like that they can help us a lot.
“We are in all competitions, so of course we want to win every game. We’re very excited for this game, and we know it’s going to be a big battle, but we’re ready for this and try to win.”
