sport news How Mikel Arteta took Arsenal to the next level: Unwavering self-belief, family ... trends now
Intense. A control freak. Powerful. Unapologetic. A leader. Emotional. A genius. Mikel Arteta is the man driving Arsenal's irresistible resurgence.
There were signs of what was to come during his playing career at the Emirates. 'He was unbelievably professional to the point where he was compulsive,' one of Arteta's former Arsenal team-mates tells Mail Sport.
'His preparation for every training session, let alone match, was meticulous. If anyone was going to become a manager, it was Mikel.'
Those obsessive traits are said to have got worse - or better, depending on how you look at it - since he embarked on a career in management.
Indeed, in the era of the head coach, Arteta is a throwback - a manager in the traditional sense. His fingerprints are all over this club, much like a certain Arsene Wenger.
Mikel Arteta has driven Arsenal's resurgence and their win over Porto showed their progress
Arteta's team enjoyed a watershed moment as they progressed in the Champions League
To illustrate his all-encompassing reach, Arteta has been involved in discussions over how to improve the atmosphere at the Emirates and has been central to talks over the layout of the club's London Colney HQ.
Arteta has his own ideas on how the club should operate and his engagement on a range of matters significantly outweighs that of his rivals, who are far happier to delegate. But that's Arteta. All or nothing.
Arteta being Arteta, he would refuse to accept the lion's share of credit for shaping the modern Arsenal. And indeed the Spaniard has been ably assisted by the Kroenkes, sporting director Edu and executive team Richard Garlick, Tim Lewis and Vinai Venkatesham. But Arteta is the puppet master, with the kind of influence enjoyed by only a handful of managers across Europe. And on Tuesday night, Arteta and his team enjoyed a watershed moment on a night bursting with unbridled joy.
The shootout win over Porto represented way more than simply their passage into the Champions League quarter-finals. It symbolised their progress.
First came the FA Cup triumph of 2020. Then last season's second-placed finish and qualification for the Champions League. And now their place in the Champions League last eight for the first time in 14 years.
David Raya helped Arsenal reach the Champions League last-eight for the first time in 14 years
Arteta lifted the FA Cup in 2020 and his side have since built on their early trophy success
But it was not just the victory that resonated, it was the manner of it. In the face of substantial provocation from a streetwise Porto side, the north Londoners managed to find a way.
It was not pretty, or particularly dominant. But that didn't matter. They got over the line.
Arteta is moulding this Arsenal side in his own image. The talent is clear. A team beautifully balanced with technical ability, pace, power and drive.
Yet their fortitude
