Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal’s players were able to handle their disrupted journey to Napoli because they had already experienced similar situations during pre-season.
Arsenal’s Champions League trip to Italy was delayed by around three hours because of air traffic control problems, but Arteta said he deliberately creates uncomfortable and unexpected situations during preparation so his squad learns to adapt without allowing disruption to affect their performance.
“I love those challenges, I try to create them in pre-season,” Arteta said at his Friday press conference. “So when they happen, we have already experienced them and we are ready.”
The Arsenal manager explained that his methods can include changing travel plans, delaying meals, taking alternative routes to stadiums and even making dressing-room conditions less comfortable.
His objective is to remove panic when something goes wrong on matchday.
“If that happens, adapt to it,” Arteta said. “But don’t complain or use it as an excuse because it’s not helpful at all.”
The Spanish coach has previously used similarly unconventional techniques to prepare his players. He once brought a light bulb into the dressing room to encourage the squad to “shine”, while professional pickpockets were hired to steal players’ phones and wallets during a team dinner as a lesson in maintaining awareness.
Arteta also brought a dog named Win into Arsenal’s training ground in 2023 as part of an exercise centred on togetherness.
The approach has even been adopted by others at the club, with a fire reportedly being lit at Arsenal’s training ground before a Champions League fixture against Sporting in April.
For Arteta, the unusual exercises are ultimately about making adversity feel familiar. When genuine problems arise, such as the delayed flight to Napoli, his players are expected to adjust rather than allow frustration to become an excuse.
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