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Mikel Arteta could not bring himself to watch the decisive draw between Man City and Bournemouth - Carlos Jasso/AFP
While Arsenal players and staff celebrated the club’s first Premier League triumph in 22 years at their training ground, there was a notable absentee: Mikel Arteta.
The Arsenal manager could not bring himself to watch the decisive draw between Manchester City and Bournemouth, and instead made a barbecue in his garden. It was his eldest son who delivered the good news.
Arteta had been expected to spend the evening with his colleagues at the club’s London Colney base but left shortly before kick-off because he did not have the required “energy”.
Credit: X/@Arsenal
“It is one of the best feelings I have ever had,” the Arteta, speaking for the first time since his team became champions, said. “I was supposed to be here [at the training ground] with the players and certain staff, because that is what they wanted. But I couldn’t.
“Twenty minutes before the game, I had to leave. I could not bring the energy that I wanted. It was their moment together, to watch it themselves and just see what the outcome would be.
“I went home, went outside to the garden, started to build a fire and started to do a barbecue. I didn’t watch any of it. I was just hearing noises in the background and the living room, then the magic happened.
“My oldest son opened the garden door, ran towards me, started to cry, gave me a hug and said: ‘We’re champions, Daddy.’ My other two boys and my wife came over and it was beautiful to see the joy on them. They are always with me.
“It was magical. A minute later, Martin Odegaard [called] with the video: ‘Where are you? Come over!’ I said: ‘Enjoy it. See you in a few hours, somewhere in London.’”
Arteta also revealed he called Andoni Iraola, the Bournemouth manager and childhood team-mate in Spain. Bournemouth’s draw against City came a few weeks after they almost destroyed Arsenal’s title hopes with a victory at the Emirates.
“I called him to congratulate him for an incredible season with Bournemouth,” Arteta said. “I told him: ‘You nearly took the Premier League away from us and now you helped us to win it.’ I called him to say thank you and to show my admiration and wish him the best in the next steps of his career, which I’m sure will be very, very successful.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal remain hopeful that injured duo Mikel Merino and Jurriën Timber could be fit for next weekend’s Champions League final against Paris St-Germain.
Merino will join training tomorrow, having recovered from the broken foot he suffered in January. Timber, who has not played since March, is further behind in his recovery but has not been ruled out of the trip to Budapest.
Dowman could not train for Arsenal because of GCSEs
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Max Dowman was involved in Arsenal’s title celebrations on Tuesday night - Hannah McKay/Reuters
Arsenal’s teenage forward Max Dowman is in the unique position of juggling preparations for the Champions League final with his GCSEs, and he was unavailable for Thursday’s training session because of his exams.
The 16-year-old this week became the youngest-ever player to win the Premier League and he is hoping to feature in next weekend’s European final against Paris St-Germain. Thankfully for Arsenal, Dowman will be available for training and the match in Budapest because he will be on half-term.
Dowman and fellow 16-year-old academy graduate Marli Salmon were both involved in Arsenal’s title celebrations on Tuesday night, which started at the club’s training ground before continuing at a club in central London.
Images and videos from the nightclub show how Arsenal’s players and coaches let loose after sealing their first title in 22 years.
Even manager Mikel Arteta, who is known for being the ultimate workaholic, was able to unwind. An image posted on social media by Bukayo Saka showed Arteta pouting for a camera while holding a drink.
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Mikel Arteta made an appearance at the title celebrations - @bukayosaka87 /Instagram
Saka was then among the four Arsenal stars who headed for the Emirates Stadium at 5am on Wednesday morning. Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze and Jurrien Timber were filmed celebrating with supporters outside their home ground.
A few hours earlier, tens of thousands of supporters had descended upon the Emirates to celebrate the title victory.
“I think what they [the supporters] have created around the club and the team is incredible to witness,” said Arteta. “That chemistry, that connection, that passion, it’s something beautiful. I mean, the trophy is great, but that is, in my opinion, something even bigger.
“We all are responsible, and I really want to make that clear. There have been so many people in this journey throughout the years, not only since I’ve been here, but as well obviously everything that Arsene [Wenger] built, even though we didn’t achieve the Premier League.
“It was an explosion, an emotional explosion, because everybody’s been keeping emotions, and lifting those emotions, but not being able to really express them. So when we opened that bottle, I think everybody had so much to release and it’s been incredible to witness.”
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