Arteta out to change Arsenals Champions League history

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Arsenal suffered the deep disappointment of a Champions League semi-final exit last season, and ahead of a new campaign manager Mikel Arteta wants to use the lessons learned to change the clubs history in the competition.

Artetas side lost to eventual winners Paris St Germain, ending their hopes of winning European club soccers biggest prize for the first time.

You take a lot of learnings from it, Arteta told reporters on Monday ahead of their away game at Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday.

Its painful also because of the expectation that we created and the real conviction that we had within the club, the team, that we could go all the way.

We showed a very high level of consistency and quality throughout the competition and learned from it and tried to be better.

Arsenals best Champions League finish was runners-up to Barcelona in 2006.

That tells you with our long history how difficult it is because we havent won it yet. And thats the opportunity. Thats how I see it, Arteta said.

The big clubs, I mean, they try seven, eight, nine times, they win two. So in this competition, its going to be one, and you fail much more than you succeed.

Thats the history of our club. And thats what we want to change.

Martin Odegaard did not make the trip to Bilbao after the midfielder went off early with a shoulder injury in Saturdays 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest, joining defender Ben White, winger Bukayo Saka and forwards Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz on the sidelines.

With a much deeper squad available this season, however, after signing the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze and