“A bit sad how it ended”: Martinelli opens up about Arsenal’s Premier League heartbreak | OneFootball

Following Arsenal‘s 2-1 victory over Everton, Gabriel Martinelli expressed mixed emotions about the conclusion of the Premier League season.

While disappointed with the team’s second-place finish, he emphasised the positives of the campaign and his pride in the team’s performance.

LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 17: Mikel Arteta speaks to Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Emirates Stadium on December 17, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

“I’d like to thank our fans. I’d like to thank everyone who supported us, who sent messages, who made it to the stadium. We’re proud of that support,” Martinelli said in an interview with ESPN Brasil. “We were a little sad, we wanted to win (the Premier League). The whole team and the fans wanted to win because of what happened last year. This year we also had an excellent season again. But these are things that happen in football, especially competing with City and Liverpool, one of the best teams in the world.”

He praised Arsenal‘s “excellent” season, highlighting their return to the Champions League and their quarterfinal run in the competition. While the team didn’t secure any major trophies, Martinelli emphasised the importance of learning from the experience.

“We can’t discard the year, we can’t say it wasn’t good, because it was excellent. After years out of the Champions League, we played, we faced Bayern Munich (in the quarterfinals). Maybe we lacked a little luck in some games. City, everyone knows how strong they are. But I was happy with my team and our season,” he said.

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Arsenal’s English midfielder #41 Declan Rice (R) and Arsenal’s Spanish manager Mikel Arteta (L) react on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Everton at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 19, 2024. Arsenal won the game 2-1, but lose out to Manchester City in the title race. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Martinelli also revealed how the fans’ reactions to the Manchester City vs. West Ham match influenced the Arsenal players during their own game against Everton.

“We tried to focus on our game. It wouldn’t do any good if we didn’t win here. We did our best. But we listened to the fans,” he admitted. “When West Ham scored (against City), we heard their euphoria… I’m happy for the season and a little sad about how it ended,” he lamented.

With the Premier League season behind him, Martinelli is now focused on representing Brazil in the upcoming Copa America.

“I’m very happy to be called up, we have a very good team. I’m very excited. We won’t rest, but that’s the price you pay. I hope we can have an excellent Copa America and bring that title,” he said.