Mikel Arteta Reveals How He Learned Arsenal Had Won Premier League Title

Mikel Arteta has revealed he discovered Arsenal had won the Premier League title through his tearful son after abandoning plans to watch the decisive match with his players and staff.

The Arsenal manager admitted he could not bring himself to sit through Bournemouth’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Tuesday night, the result that finally sealed the club’s first league crown in 22 years.

While the Arsenal squad gathered at the training ground to watch events unfold together, Arteta quietly slipped away before kick-off.

“You probably don’t realise it. It’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever had,” Arteta said.

“I was supposed to be watching the game with the boys and the staff because that’s what they wanted, but I couldn’t.”

Instead, the Spaniard headed home and distracted himself in the garden.

“I went to the garden, started to build a fire and had a barbecue and I didn’t watch any of it,” he said.

“I was just hearing some noises in the living room and suddenly the magic happened.

“My oldest son opened the garden door, started to run towards me, started to cry, gave me a hug, and said: ‘We are champions, daddy’.

“Then my other two boys and my wife came over and it was beautiful. Just to see that joy on them as well, that they are always with me, it was magical. A minute later, Martin [Odegaard] called me on video.”

Arteta also revealed he personally phoned Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola after the game to thank him for helping Arsenal secure the title.

The pair grew up together in the Basque region and both played for the youth side Antiguoko in San Sebastian.

“I didn’t message him, I rang him. I called firstly to congratulate him on the incredible job he has done with Bournemouth,” Arteta said.

“I told him he almost took the Premier League away from us [the 2-1 loss that Arsenal suffered to Bournemouth in April] and then helped us to win it.”

Iraola is set to leave Bournemouth at the end of the season, and Arteta said the conversation was filled with admiration and good wishes.

Arsenal now have the chance to complete a remarkable double when they face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest on 30 May.

“We want to have the parade with two trophies,” Arteta said.

“We had 48 hours to enjoy the success of winning the league, now we are going to prepare really well because we need to lift our habits and standards to be in the best possible way to compete.

“We will have a little window to lift the trophy and connect with the people around us and then we have six days to write a new history in this football club.”