Gabriel Martinelli expressed strong confidence in Arsenal’s chances of reaching the UEFA Champions League final despite their hard-fought draw against Atletico Madrid in the semi-final first leg.
The Brazilian forward acknowledged the difficulty of the away fixture but insisted that belief within the squad remains high ahead of the decisive return leg in London.
Arsenal were held to a draw in a tense encounter against Atletico Madrid, a result that leaves the tie finely balanced heading into the second leg. While the Gunners had ambitions of securing a victory on Spanish soil, Martinelli emphasized that earning a draw away from home against such a strong opponent remains a valuable outcome.
Speaking after the match, Martinelli highlighted the pride and responsibility that comes with representing Arsenal, pointing to the club’s stature as a driving force behind the team’s belief.
“Yes, of course,” Martinelli said when asked whether Arsenal are confident of reaching the Champions League final. “We play for Arsenal, we know how big the club is and we trust in ourselves. We knew when they went through it was going to be a big one, a battle over there. It was a really hard game, they’ve got a really good side.”
The winger admitted that Arsenal travelled to Spain with the clear intention of winning the match, but he accepted that a draw on the road still puts the team in a promising position ahead of the return fixture at home.
“Of course, we wanted to go to Atletico and win the game. We take the draw, playing away from home. We have a big one next week in our place, so we go for it,” he added.
Martinelli also acknowledged that there were aspects of Arsenal’s performance that could have been improved, noting that facing elite opposition at the semi-final stage always presents significant challenges. He stressed that Atletico Madrid’s quality made the contest especially demanding, reinforcing why maintaining composure and focus will be crucial in the second leg.
“Of course, we could have done things better. It’s the semi-final of the Champions League, of course the opponent is going to be really good as well. We take the draw, we go to London and we want to win the game to go to the final.”
