Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta called on his players to use their frustration as motivation ahead of a midweek trip to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-final second leg.
The Gunners fell to a frustrating loss as they hosted Bournemouth on Saturday, leading at halftime through Declan Rice but eventually losing after conceding a pair of set-piece goals after the break. They trail PSG 1-0 after the first-leg, but Arteta was denied the opportunity to build any positive momentum ahead of the trip.
Speaking at full time, a frustrated Arteta rued the missed chance to boost his side’s confidence ahead of the match.
He said: “We certainly wanted to create a really good vibe. A positive result would really help us to build what we wanted towards Wednesday.
“Every time you don't win a game, especially when you lose, you are very frustrated.
“What we have created now is a lot of rage, anger, frustration and a bad feeling in the tummy.
“So, make sure that we use that for Wednesday to have a massive performance in Paris, win the game and be in the final.
“Let's use all of that ahead of Wednesday. That is what we have to do.”
He continued, maintaining that his squad were not feeling any mental fatigue as a result of their Champions League run, which has seen the club placed under a global spotlight. He was, however, disappointed not to be able to rest his starters ahead of the France trip after naming a strong squad to face Bournemouth.
“No mental fatigue,” he said. “It is true a lot of players had to start who were conditioned for something else.”
He is also likely to be without defender Jurrien Timber, who missed the Bournemouth loss with a reported knock.
