Arteta plays down quadruple talk as Arsenal eye deep Champions League run

• Arsenal drawn against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League last 16
• Arteta insists focus remains on short-term targets despite multiple trophy paths
• Havertz close to return as squad depth improves ahead of decisive weeks

Mikel Arteta insists he is not thinking about the possibility of Arsenal winning the quadruple, but admits excitement is building after Friday’s Champions League draw opened up a promising route through the knockout stages.

Arsenal will face Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16, with a potential quarterfinal against either Bodo Glimt or Sporting Lisbon if they progress. The Gunners remain alive in every competition, leading the Premier League, preparing for next month’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, and facing League One side Mansfield Town in the FA Cup fifth round next weekend.

“We are really excited being in the four fronts and the way the team is consistently performing gives you a lot of hope and positive thoughts about what can be coming,” Arteta said. “But we can only focus on the present. That is where we are going to put our energy and that is on Sunday.”

Despite growing external talk of an unprecedented quadruple, Arteta stressed that he is resisting any temptation to look too far ahead.

“Not really, not so much on the outcome,” he said. “I focus on what we have to do to continue in the manner and the trajectory that we are as a team and from there obviously try to improve it.

“Has it been done? That’s how difficult it is. Let’s go game by game and try to earn the right to continue to be there until the last stage of every single competition and then we will see what happens.”

The discussion comes amid a sharp shift in momentum following last weekend’s emphatic 4-1 victory over Tottenham. That performance helped restore confidence after a damaging draw at Wolves, when Arsenal surrendered a two goal lead against the bottom side.

Arteta admitted that managing emotional extremes has become a personal challenge during the run in.

“It is something that I need, if not it becomes insane if you are up and down every single day,” he said. “You cannot give your best like that.

“You have to be very critical with yourself, analytical with what we do and try to always be as good as we possibly can. I try to be as stable as possible and always try to have perspective about what a result or a performance brings.”

There was also positive news on the fitness front, with Kai Havertz set to resume training and Max Dowman scheduled to feature for the Under 21s against Ipswich Town. Arteta added that Ben White’s availability remains uncertain, saying only, “Let’s see.”

As Arsenal enter a defining stretch across multiple competitions, Arteta’s message remains one of calm discipline, clarity of focus, and controlled ambition.