Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been talking about Barcelona and Newcastle United.
The Gunners manager speaking ahead of his side facing Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta choosing to analyse what happened at St James’ Park on Tuesday night, kicking off with: “Barcelona is the most exciting team in Europe at many moments, due to the way they play.”
Nobody would argue with that.
However, Mikel Arteta going on to say: “We saw a completely different game than I have ever seen Barcelona play [before], and that’s a great credit to Newcastle, but this is the league we are playing in.”
Former Barcelona youth player Arteta keen to get across his point that the Premier League is far tougher and more competitive than any other league.
Clubs competing in the Champions League from other countries having that advantage, the domestic challenges they face before and after big games in Europe.
Arsenal lucky to get a late equaliser away at Bayer Leverkusen, thanks to the worst penalty decision you will ever see, somehow backed up by the VAR as well!
Saying about the match against Newcastle United on Tuesday, Mikel Arteta declaring: “Did you see the 1,000 passes Barcelona makes every week in Spain? No.”
Arteta making clear that what Barcelona have the freedom to do in almost every match in La Liga, where they look all but sure to follow up last season’s title success, isn’t necessarily the case when they play Newcastle United and other Premier League teams.
Mikel Arteta going on to say: “Can it be a beautiful game? Yes. But Newcastle played that game and deserve a lot of credit for the way they did it. Newcastle United are exceptional in their intensity and high pressing, all man-to-man and with a wide array of tools.”
Eddie Howe and his team were excellent in that first leg and should have been at least a goal or two ahead going into this second leg.
However, still a very good chance of still going through, if they repeat the levels shown on Tuesday night, especially with the likes of Anthony Gordon and Tino Livramento available to start, unlike was the case at St James’ Park.