Arsenal wants a two-trophy parade, says Arteta
Mikel Arteta has expressed his desire to celebrate two trophies with Arsenal this season ahead of his side's final Premier League game of the campaign against Crystal Palace.
Arsenal was crowned the top-flight champion for the first time in 22 years in midweek after second-placed Manchester City could only draw away to Bournemouth.
The Gunners' first title push under Arteta came in 2022-2023, which was the first of three consecutive second-place finishes as City and Liverpool came out on top.
Since the start of that season, Arsenal and City have won the same number of Premier League points (329), while the Gunners have spent the most days at the top of the competition.
The club has already confirmed a trophy parade will take place in the capital on 1 June (AEST), the day after it faces Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final.
Asked whether the title win had eased the pressure on his team going into that match in Budapest, Arteta said: "I think so.
"It's a lot of emotion – joy, happiness, being proud – and it is also a relief.
"When you see so many people waiting for something to happen for so long, and you achieve it, everything we have done is worth it, and now we need to sustain that energy.
"We had so many injuries to big players throughout the season. We had to find ways to win a lot of games and achieve with the team that we had."
After building for six-and-a-half years under the Spaniard, Arsenal has the chance to end this campaign in historic fashion by also winning the club's first UEFA Champions League title.
"Now we have to show we have the ambition, the quality and the consistency to do that," Arteta added. "That is the next step. We want to have the parade with two trophies."
Arsenal comes up against a Palace side which also has an eye on a first piece of European silverware, with the Eagles taking on Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final.
Oliver Glasner's team will travel to Leipzig on Thursday (AEST) as Palace's departing Austrian boss hopes to bring the curtain down on a memorable two-year stint at Selhurst Park.
Palace has won the FA Cup – the club's first major trophy – under Glasner's stewardship, as well as winning the Community Shield against Liverpool at the start of this campaign.
Glasner revealed that defender Chris Richards, who was injured in last week's draw with Brentford, was doing everything he could to be fit in time for the UEFA Conference League final.
However, the Eagles boss said that the clash with Arsenal provides his players with the chance to play their way into the starting line-up in their European showpiece.
"It's always possible. It was [this week] in training, and players can show up," Glasner said. "Of course, we won't make 10 changes for the final.
"Because now it will be the 60th game and, let's say, Maxence Lacroix will play if he's fit. He's in for almost every single game.
"But we will start with 11, but we will definitely end the game with a different 11 players. That means probably five subs. If it goes to extra time, probably six subs.
"That means 16 outfield players can be directly involved on the pitch, and I can promise you we don't win the game with just 16 players. We need every single one with support.
"Of course, we need every single one on the pitch, but we need everyone who is not playing as well, because Vallecano are such a good team. We need to perform on a top level."


































