Mikel Arteta Ready to Face Guardiola in The Community Shield Final: Dubbed Them as a "Team to Beat"

Last season's treble winners Manchester City and Premier League runners-up Arsenal are set to lock horns in the FA Community Shield final, which will mark the start of the 2023-24 season. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said that the team is confident and ready to beat Pep Guardiola's treble-winning side on Sunday.

 

Arteta, 41, said to the reporters, “Very excited to play a final to win a trophy, we are playing against the team to beat.”

 

The Spaniard knows that the efforts and hard work the team put in last season weren't enough, and reiterated on building on the good work and momentum from last season. He termed this as a new era for Arsenal, and rightly so after years of disappointing performances.

 

With almost 200 million pounds spent on transfers this season, Arsenal, especially Arteta, will be brimming with confidence for the upcoming season. Arsenal spent a club-record fee in acquiring the services of sensational English midfielder Declan Rice, making him the second most expensive transfer in the history of the Premier League.

 

On the flip side, with the transfer of Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan to the Saudi and Spanish leagues, respectively, and the uncertainty looming large over starters from last season, Manchester City might appear weak, at least on the papers. Bernardo Silva, Kyle Walker, Joao Cancelo, and Kalvin Phillips are all on the verge of leaving the team, giving a serious headache to Pep and the club.

 

However, Guardiola did manage to sign Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol, the latter becoming the most expensive defender in the world after the transfer. With the likes of Haaland, Rodri, and De Bruyne still in the ranks, Pep Guardiola has enough men at his disposal to go into the FA Community Shield final.

 

If one thing we can learn from last season, it will be to never write off the master tactician Pep Guardiola and his team. With key players leaving the team and new faces signed, we are sure Pep already got down with his pen and paper, strategizing new ways and tactics for the upcoming season.

 

The FA Community Shield final will make it clear how Arteta and Guardiola will take their teams forward in the 2023-24 season, with the Premier League and UCL titles on the bucket list of both managers.

 

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