In that March 2023 clash, Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw in Lisbon, before suffering a penalty shootout defeat in the second leg at the Emirates. Five players who started in that match have since left the club, a clear indication of the transformation that has taken place over the past 18 months.
Arteta, reflecting on the journey his team has undergone, revealed that he recently rewatched both legs of the Europa League tie to gain insight into his team's development. His conclusion was stark: the Arsenal side that played Sporting then seems almost unrecognizable compared to the team he now oversees.
“It’s normally a good exercise to see the team a few years back, and I watched both games back to have an understanding of how we prepared them, what worked well and what didn’t,” Arteta said in his pre-match press conference. “It’s difficult to recognise the team two years later. You tend to see and look at the game and other stuff in a different way, but it was good.”
The difference in personnel and playing style is clear to Arteta, who noted that the evolution of his squad has been substantial, as Arsenal have progressed both tactically and in terms of individual player development. He highlighted the challenges the team faced at the time, but also pointed to how far they have come since then.
“It seemed longer ago to be fair, in a way,” Arteta added. “But here we are again. The good news is we are now in a different competition, a competition that we really want to win, be dominant, be important and this is where we are.”
Arteta also took time to praise Sporting CP’s progress, acknowledging their own impressive evolution in recent years. The Portuguese club, like Arsenal, has undergone significant changes and improvements, setting the stage for an intriguing encounter on Tuesday.
“Every team evolves, and talking about Sporting and what they’ve done, it’s been unbelievable. And we have, as well, progressed very much compared to where we were two years ago, so it’s going to be a good test,” Arteta said.
With both teams having grown considerably since their last meeting, this upcoming fixture promises to be a high-stakes and highly competitive clash. For Arsenal, it represents an opportunity to further assert their dominance in European competition, as Arteta looks to lead his team to success in this year's tournament.
The match at Estádio José Alvalade kicks off a new chapter in Arsenal's European journey, and Arteta will be hopeful that the progress his side has made over the last 18 months will see them come out on top.
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