Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed that watching Liverpool lift the Premier League title hit him hard, admitting it was a painful experience he could barely bring himself to watch.
Speaking to reporters, Arteta expressed his frustration after Arne Slot’s Liverpool clinched the title with four games to spare following a dominant 5–1 win over Tottenham last weekend.
“Yeah, it hurt — big time,” the Spaniard said when asked how he felt about missing out. “I felt it in my stomach. I understand they’ve been the more consistent team and had what it takes to win it, but it’s still very painful.”
Despite the disappointment, Arteta was gracious in defeat, congratulating Liverpool on their achievement.
“I want to take the opportunity to congratulate them — their management, the team, their consistency. They fully deserve it. They had the better season. A consistent squad, many qualities — and we’ll try again.”
Arteta admitted he could only bring himself to watch a brief portion of Liverpool’s title celebrations.
“Just a small part of it,” he said. “It’s not my main motivation, but yes, it definitely hurts to watch. That’s for sure.”
With a few matches left in the campaign, Arteta emphasized the importance of finishing the season strong and regrouping for another title push next year.