Mikel Arteta responds to Graeme Souness over Bukayo Saka cheating claims ahead of Bayern Munich clash

Arteta responds to Souness criticism

Arteta faced the media ahead of a highly anticipated Champions League clash against Bayern Munich, where he was asked about recent comments from Souness. The pundit had controversially labelled Saka a cheat on a podcast, accusing him of diving. Speaking at the press conference, as reported by Football London, the manager remained diplomatic and refused to be drawn into a war of words. "I haven't heard it and I'm not going to make any comments about opinions," he stated when initially pressed on the matter.

Respecting opinions and proving worth

When pushed further on whether such accusations could influence referees against his winger, he maintained his composed stance. He emphasised that scrutiny is simply part of the sport and backed his players to do their talking on the pitch, explaining: "I don't know. We are open to opinions. It's part of our job. It's part of our roles. And those opinions have to be respected. Especially if they are done in a respectful way. And we are here to prove that we belong to this level, to this stage, and we certainly always have the intention and the ambition to improve and do better. That's it."

Zubimendi returns as Kompany faces absence

Beyond the media chatter, Arsenal have received a significant fitness boost. The Spaniard confirmed that Zubimendi is available for selection, saying: "Yes, he's back with us. He will be involved tomorrow." Meanwhile, Bayern might be without Vincent Kompany on the touchline due to illness. He expressed his admiration for his counterpart, adding: "Well, I hope that he gets [better] soon. I hope that he's there tomorrow because his presence will be very good for the game. Huge admirer of him."

What happens next?

The squad will now focus entirely on executing their game plan against Bayern tomorrow. They head into the fixture with a perfect Champions League record, having secured two impressive wins against Napoli and Lille. Meanwhile, their German opponents currently sit on four points after claiming a victory over Bodo/Glimt and a hard-fought draw with Viking, setting the stage for a thrilling encounter.