Every word from Mikel Arteta's pre-PSG presser

Mikel Arteta met the media in the French capital ahead of our crunch Champions League semi-final with Paris Saint-Germain.

The boss was asked about the state of the tie, dealing with the atmosphere, creating magic moments and more.

Here's every word from his pre-match press conference, held at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday evening....

On the belief to turn it around…

Huge enthusiasm, huge energy. We are a win away from being the Champions League semi-final, in one of the most beautiful cities in the world against a great opponent - it doesn't get much better than that. We are here to make history, and we have a big opportunity tomorrow. We bring a result that gives us so much clarity about what we have to do. A lot of learning from the first leg as well, and how small the margins are between the two teams. The result, in my opinion, should have been very different to that one. So tomorrow, another opportunity to prove that and earn the right to be in the final.

On if this is his biggest game as Arsenal manager…

Yeah, one of the most beautiful, for sure. I mean, again, one win away from being in the final. We cannot ask for anything else. Let's not do the talking [now], let's do it tomorrow on that pitch at 9pm when the game starts. Show our best, best, best, best version and win the game.

On what it’s going to take to turn it around…

Again, a lot of the things that we did in the first game, better, more consistently. If we do that, the probability for success will be very, very close to us. We are more than capable, we've done it in Europe against a lot of odds, probably nobody would say that we'll be in this position. So that was against history as well. So, let's make our own history.

On how he can spoil Luis Enrique’s birthday…

Well, being better than them. We're going to have to show that tomorrow. We know what we can do. We showed it in the first leg as well in many moments, apart from the first 15 minutes when we had some difficulties and understanding why. And tomorrow, as I said, full clarity, what we have to do, how we have to do it and how much we have to embrace and enjoy this moment to get the best out of ourselves.

On if he feels that the players belong at this level…

100%, I think that's how you have to embrace and take the game, you know, to make something special. As we said, to win the final of the Champions League, you have to do something exceptional throughout the tournament. We've done a lot of great things, but tomorrow in Paris, against this team is the moment to do it.And we will elevate the level of this team and start to make history. That's an opportunity we have ahead of us to do it.

On if he’d prefer the game to be more calm or chaotic…

I think there will be different moments. Like you had the first leg, obviously the result brings a lot of clarity.What both teams have to do for us is even clearer. So that's it, and there are players on that team that have experienced that in many situations. So I was looking at the amount of time that they played ties and how many times they have tried, you know. So, we are here, this is our opportunity and we're going to make it happen.

On how our Champions League away form can spur us on…

I am in conviction that when we had to do it, we did it in a really convincing way against very difficult opponents. So again, the last one is very recent, it's Madrid against all the odds because obviously they were talking about all the comebacks and the history and what they did. And we proved something very different to what they expected and tomorrow we want to do the same.

On if he’s under pressure to win a trophy this season…

We're going to try to do this season. Winning trophies as well is about being in the right moment, in the right place. Liverpool have won the title with less points than we have in the last two seasons. With the points of the last two seasons, we would have two Premier League titles. So, you have to be in the right moment, in the right place. Hopefully here we are in the right moment, in the right place in Paris tomorrow, to earn the right to be in the final.

On if we can erase the memories of our Champions League final loss in Paris in 2006…

Yeah, it will give us an opportunity and it brings them to places that are so related sometimes. It's a beautiful story, so let's make it our own tomorrow.

On Jurrien Timber’s fitness…

I will assess him today, whether he can start the game or not.

On Riccardo Calafiori being back…

Yeah, he's travelled, and he's fit and he's ready to play when we need him. So that's great news obviously.

On if the message is about our players becoming heroes…

It has to be, in football you're going to be remembered for those moments. The biggest stages are when the team needs it, when the club needs it, to deliver those moments and playing with that mindset. This kind of game is, in my opinion, the right one, and that's the work that we've done in the last few hours.

On the referee…

Yeah, we always get a report obviously, understanding who he's going to be and how he likes to manage the game, to try to understand him and to try to help him in that sense, and make sure that players are very much aware of that. That work is done.

On if he can bring anything from his playing days at PSG to prepare the players…

A beautiful atmosphere. I mean, there is a massive club with a huge history, one city, one team, basically. And, yeah, I was very lucky to have 18 months here where I really enjoyed it and I have fascinating memories about it, and it's great to be back here.

On motivation to win the Champions League…

Well, I think it's within us, as you said, we don't need anything else. Now we need to use it to channel that energy, that emotion, that weakness that we all have inside ourselves to deliver and perform at the best possible level, at the highest level that each of us has tomorrow, to deliver the result that we need to be in that final.

On Jakub Kiwior’s progress…

Well, again, he deserves a lot of credit because he hasn't played too much throughout many months, and suddenly he's been thrown into the most difficult context, at the highest level, playing against the best opponents, when you haven't had the physical rhythm or the confidence to do it, and I think he's been exceptional.

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