Back to the Arsenal Newsfeed

Mikel Arteta reveals he called mentor and Barcelona legend Pep Guardiola before masterminding Arsenal's Champions League win over Real Madrid

Mikel Arteta has revealed that he called 'inspiration' Pep Guardiola before his Arsenal side's Champions League quarter-final second leg win over Real Madrid.

After a Declan Rice-inspired 3-0 win at the Emirates, the Gunners traveled to the Spanish capital knowing they already had done foot in the semi-finals for the first time since 2009.

After a dramatic first-half - with Bukayo Saka missing a penalty and a spot-kick for the hosts scrubbed off by VAR - the two sides were inseparable by the break.

However Saka soon atoned for his earlier mistake with a fantastic opener, Vinicius Junior quickly pegging the Gunners back, before a 92nd-minute winner from Gabriel Martinelli made it 5-1 on aggregate to Arsenal.