Mikel Arteta’s rallying message to Arsenal fans ahead of Real Madrid | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal fans to “play the game” along with his players when they take on Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The Gunners face the reigning Champions League winners at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg and Arteta has urged supporters to create a memorable atmosphere.

“I think we deserve it but we have to earn it and we have to earn it again tomorrow evening,” he said.

“We are going to put all the ingredients, everything that is in our hands to play the game we want and to take the game in the direction that we want in order to achieve that as well we are going to need our people playing every single ball with us and that’s going to make a huge difference because that’s something that is really needed.

“At this stage you need your home stadium to create a very special atmosphere to create momentum so I encourage everyone to go there tomorrow to play the game with us, not to be there watching it but to play the game with us.”

Ahead of the game, Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka said it was likely the biggest game he will have played for the club and Arteta spoke of his excitement at being involved in such a huge occasion.

“It is a joy to prepare the game, to look at them (the fans), just to look at the reaction of people and how we feel about ourselves coming into the game of that magnitude,” he said.

“The excitement around the club, the people, this is the stage we want to be, where Arsenal have to be consistently. We are very proud to be there and now we are very ready tomorrow to deliver.

“That’s why I came into football, that’s why I came into management and especially to this football club. It has been 20 years since we had this type of game and for us it’s a great opportunity to build our own story and this is what we are here for.”