Ahead of the first leg of their semi-final tie against Paris Saint-Germain, Mikel Arteta told reporters that Arsenal must “earn the right” to compete in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday, 31 May.

The Gunners stunned Real Madrid over two legs to reach the final four of the competition, with Arteta suggesting that a Champions League semi-final is “probably one of the biggest games that the Emirates has seen since we built it.”

“We must feel that we have to hold them back tomorrow in order to go on that pitch and express ourselves. This is the moment now to say, ‘Okay, this is who we are, this is who we are as a team, this is who I am as an individual, and I’m going to give my very best to make it happen,’” the Spaniard said of the squad’s mentality ahead of the match, which is set to kick off at 20:00 BST [21:00 CEST] on Tuesday.

“Play with that mindset and let yourself go. Everything now is about identifying where the limits are and how far we’re willing to go.”

The 43-year-old expressed that the fact Arsenal have “overcome a lot of issues and challenges, and the fact that the team is here as one of the four best teams in Europe… tells you about the mindset, the spirit and how much we really want it.”

It’s a trophy that has eluded the Gunners in recent years, and Arteta is relishing the “incredible opportunity” to write a new chapter in the club’s history, insisting, “We are here to make people happy, to create history, and we are very close. Now, we must seize the opportunity and make it happen.”

“It’s the most prestigious competition for any European club, and we’ve never done it, so we need to earn the right to be in that final. Everything starts tomorrow.”

With Renée Slegers’ Arsenal Women completing a remarkable comeback on Sunday to defeat Olympique Lyonnais and secure a place in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final, Arteta revealed that “they’ve been an inspiration.”

“It’s been incredible what they’ve done, and to achieve it in the manner that they have. Once again, they’ve shown us the way, the pathway, and how inspiring it is for us because we also want to be there,” he added.