Arteta on VAR, club statement and Sevilla
- Published
Alex Howell, BBC Sport
Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Champions League meeting with Sevilla at Emirates Stadium.
It is the first time the Arsenal manager has spoken since labelling the VAR a "disgrace" after Saturday's defeat at Newcastle United and the release of a club statement supporting his comments.
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Arteta said Gabriel Jesus will not be fit for Wednesday and captain Martin Odegaard is "still uncertain".
On his comments about VAR: "My duty is to be defending the players, supporting my players, supporting my club and supporting my people in the best possible way. This is what I will do time after time. This is what I do - not with how I feel, but with the evidence."
More on VAR: "One thing is my duty towards you guys, and then my duty as a coach towards what we have to do. That is exactly what I have done - nothing special, nothing different. I would do it and the club would do it again and again."
When questioned about the club statement in support of him, Arteta said: "We have duty to express how we feel with all the evidence that we have. The history of what happened. We have to really stand for our people, our values and who we are. The club has done it in a very specific moment for the right reasons and it shows the unity and understanding that is within the club to position ourselves in a clear and honest way. I think we have done that as a club."
On opponents Sevilla and responding to a defeat: "The moment you have a chance to put it to bed in football, do it. We are going to do things right tomorrow and earn the right to win it. We are against a team with huge experience in the competition."
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