Hear from the managers ahead of week 29 of the 24-25 Premier League season including both Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca as Arsenal face Chelsea and Arne Slot as Liverpool face Newcastle in the EFL Cup final
Various Locations, UK
Various Locations, UK
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SportsTranscript
00:00A final in this country is always special because of the fact there are so many strong
00:09teams in this country, in this league.
00:14So if you reach a final it's always a big moment for them, but definitely also for us.
00:20Because in the end, although we've got two cup games in this country, you can never take
00:26a final for granted, and it's not like for Liverpool it happened last season, but we
00:31don't play every single season, every final.
00:35So it is special for them, but definitely also for us.
00:39I think in this part of the season, especially in England, it's almost impossible to have
00:43all your players fit.
00:45And I think both teams have maybe two, three or four players that cannot play, and that's
00:53almost a privilege, because so many teams have had during the season more than two
00:58or three injuries.
00:59Two or three injuries is probably the minimum you can expect in a league like this, after
01:04four months of non-stop football.
01:07So it's a big compliment to the staff of Newcastle and our staff that so many players are available.
01:12I think it's going to be a very different game, and I think the way they develop as
01:17a team as well is very impressive, what they've done on the coaching staff, the amount of
01:21talent that they have in the squad.
01:24So yes, a really tough match, but we are our best as well, so it's a big chance for us
01:27to win the game.
01:28I think two teams that want to be very dominant in the way of playing are very aggressive
01:32on the high press and the way we have to have the ball.
01:34A lot of individual quality on that pitch, so it's about imposing what you want and the
01:39direction that you want to take the game, and keep them very far from their strengths.
01:43I think that's going to be a key thing as well.
01:45Very important.
01:46Culturally, I think, because of our history and we are an English club, to have that DNA
01:52that represents us as a club and then having a lot of academy players as well, I think
01:58it's something very, very positive, so very proud of it.
02:01In this moment we have two targets, that is finish top four or top five for the Champions
02:06League, and the other one is the conference.
02:09This club, you know, this club used to play final and fight for titles, so if we are able
02:16to give to the fans and to the club, again, this chance to fight for titles, I think it's
02:22important for us.
02:24It's quite big.
02:25The reason why is because they are working with the same manager for five years, so the
02:30difference is quite important.
02:32With the same players, they already played for some important games, but our target,
02:39our duty is to close that gap between us and them.
02:43In this moment, the table just said that the difference between us and them is, I think,
02:47six points, if I'm not wrong, so we are quite close, but we have still nine games to go.
02:53I think Brighton is one of the best clubs working on and off the pitch, so I think you
03:00start with Raheem Pota, so they are making a step, and after Roberto Echeverry and now
03:06This exceptional young manager is doing incredible good things, so it's not a surprise, I would
03:14say, because they are doing really, really well in the market and in the way they play,
03:21and they are absolutely one of the toughest, as I said.
03:26In the past, there are many, many teams that, years ago, especially when I arrived, was
03:31in the middle position, or bottom, or whatever, and they make an incredible step up, in terms
03:38of organisation, in terms of the consistency, for many, many years, and that is a reality.
03:43Everything is important, and we need to continue with this feeling that we can win games, and
03:49games after games, it doesn't matter the time of rest, or the time to prepare the next game,
03:56we can do it, and we show against Arsenal.
04:00We have to be humble and forget that, forget the table, and face Leicester like we face
04:08today Real Sociedad.
04:10We just need to win, to improve our position in the table, and the most important thing
04:15is to continue with this feeling of winning, and that we are improving as a team.