Unai Emery believes his replacement as Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is a good fit for the north London club.
The two managers will face off on Thursday night when Emery welcomes his former side to Spain for the first leg of their Europa League semi-final clash with Villarreal.
Speaking ahead of the match, he was full of praise for his successor and feels Arteta’s history as a player at Arsenal is a big advantage.
‘Arteta is putting his own stamp on things – in the way they play, it’s easy to identify he’s bringing back that Arsenal tradition of playing attractive football,’ Emery said.
‘His first steps as Pep Guardiola’s assistant have helped him to position himself in this new profession which is being the manager.
‘Now he has been given this opportunity at Arsenal, and I think it’s a good place to develop because he is much loved by Arsenal thanks to the time he spent in the team.
‘He had his time [playing] there with Arsene Wenger so I’m sure he can apply everything he learned. I think it’s a good marriage: Arteta-Arsenal, Arsenal-Arteta.’
Emery spent just 18 months at the helm in north London, narrowly missing out on the top four by a point in his only full season and losing heavily in the Europa League final to Chelsea.
The 49-year-old insists he has positive memories from his time in England, even if he is disappointed that his spell was ultimately not as successful as he had hoped it would be.
‘Arsenal’s history is renowned throughout the world,’ Emery said. ‘I am lucky enough to have coached over there, although it ended in unwanted circumstances. Now I’m happy where I am and appreciate my new coaching job at Villarreal.”
Credit: dailymail.co.uk
The post Arsenal & Arteta are ‘a good marriage’; says Unai Emery appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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