Emirates FA Cup semifinal: Arsenal 2-1 Manchester City (1-1 at end of regulation)
Arsenal will play in the FA Cup Final for the third time in four season and will face Chelsea at Wembley for an exciting London derby. After weeks of disappointing results, Arsenal came up a big way to overcome a 1-0 deficit and to win it in the extra 30 minutes of added time.
“I felt that we had a strong response today. We had a little bit of a cautious start, hesitant sometimes but we didn’t give chances away and we grew into the game. Slowly, we became better and better and in the second half I felt we were very strong, in extra-time very strong, we always looked solid and dangerous. We played more in the second half and I felt as well it was a big test for us today – it was a mental test because many people questioned ‘Can we turn up in an occasion like that?’ That’s why I am very proud for the players, because they showed they are united and determined.
You know, I feel the club is in a very strong shape and that we have a very strong overall situation and a very strong team. We have shown that today. After that is for me the most important. One day I will leave anyway, so the most important is that I’m sure that Arsenal will always be a great club that everybody admires.
Honestly, I feel when you see today and you watch the stands, you see how big this club is. I feel just happy when our fans go home tonight and they are happy. When I don’t win the games I feel sad because I don’t feel that I give what people want. We have gone through a very difficult period and we faced some adversity that made the situation more difficult from inside as well. But we’ve shown a united response, not a divided response, but of course, mentally we were in a fragile position.”
