Mikel Arteta has revealed he called childhood friend Andoni Iraola after his Bournemouth side played a huge role in securing Arsenal’s first Premier League title in 22 years.
The Gunners were confirmed as champions on Tuesday evening with a game to spare after Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium.
A month earlier, the Cherries appeared to have put a major dent in Arsenal’s ambitions after they swept to a shock 2-1 win at Emirates Stadium.
A few weeks later, however, and Iraola went a huge way to compensating for the damage he inflicted that day as Bournemouth, in what his last home game at the helm, secured European qualification as well as fulfilling his role as king maker.
Love football?
Our seven-day guide to the World Cup is live. 48 teams, 104 games, 1104 players – we’ve got everything you need to know. Sign up now.
‘I didn’t message him, I rang him,’ said Arteta, speaking at Arsenal’s Champions League final media day. ‘I called him yesterday, firstly to congratulate him on the incredible job he has done with Bournemouth.
‘I told him he almost took the Premier League away from us and then helped us to win it on the last week!
‘I rang him to show my admiration towards him and wish him the best in the next chapter of his career, which I’m sure is going to be very successful.’
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web
browser that
supports HTML5
video
Arteta, meanwhile, revealed he was building a fire as his crying son broke the news to him that Arsenal had been crowned champions for the first time in over two decades.
Arteta, speaking publicly for the first time since Arsenal were guaranteed of this season’s title, also admitted the ‘relief’ of proving his doubters wrong before laying down the gauntlet to the club’s rivals by declaring: ‘Now we want more.’
Arsenal’s players and staff watched the drama unfold at the club’s training base, but Arteta headed home to be with his family.
‘It’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever had,’ said Arteta. ‘I was supposed to be here, at the training ground, watching the game with the boys and the staff because that’s what they wanted – but I couldn’t.
‘Twenty minutes before the game I had to leave. I couldn’t bring the energy that I wanted, and ultimately it was their moment to watch it together and be themselves.
‘I went home, I went outside to the garden, and I started to build some fire and started to do some barbecue. I didn’t watch any of it. I was just hearing some noises in the background, in the living room and suddenly the magic happened.
‘My oldest son opened the garden door, he started to run towards me, he started to cry, gave me a hug and said: ‘We are champions, Daddy’. Just to see the joy on them. It was magical.
‘And a minute later, Martin (Odegaard) sent over a video: ‘Where are you? Come over.’ I said, ‘Guys, enjoy it for a while and I’ll see you in a few hours somewhere in London’. It was beautiful.’