Mikel Arteta reacts to Tottenham triumph with telling comment on Arsenal season

Mikel Arteta has congratulated Tottenham on their Europa League win but refused to draw comparisons to his side. Spurs edged in Wednesday's final to win their first major trophy for 17 years.

The Gunners meanwhile have now gone five years without winning any silverware. They are set to finish second in the for a third successive year, were knocked out of the in the third round, and were dumped out of the Carabao Cup and at the semi-final stage.

Boss Arteta has spoken for some time about his belief that Arsenal are a step away from ending their trophy drought. But while they have fared far better in the league than Spurs, it is their fierce rivals who will be holding a trophy parade this week.

Arteta was happy to congratulate Ange Postecoglou for finally ending Tottenham's drought. He insisted though that having missed out on a trophy, his side are hungrier than ever to lift silverware.

"Yeah congratulate them. They are champions and when you get to that you have to do a lot of things right. They have had a lot of difficulties, you have to congratulate. They have done everything in their hands to win it," Arteta said.

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"I don't like to compare with other teams, I focus on my team. A worry [not winning a trophy]? Well, externally yes. I mean, you're going to only evaluate that, then use those two words and that's it.

"But then, I think, make decisions in base to that. So next season you don't do that, you are out. If you do that, you are here forever. I don't know what is it, because last night is a really good example of that.

"Or the final between Inter and , because they're going to be judged only if they win it. If not, they're going again like the last 12 years that they have tried it. They are very different beyond that."

Postecoglou meanwhile is hoping Wednesday's win in Bilbao can kick off an era of success at Spurs. He insisted his squad had the desire to add to their trophy cabinet despite finally ending their drought.

“I understand why it would be difficult for a club like this to buy into one person’s vision. I remember even when I signed, the club and even Daniel said, ‘we went after winners, it didn’t work and now we’ve got Ange’, but mate, I’m a winner.

“I have been a serial winner my whole career. It’s what I have done more than anything else. We’ve got a really young group of players and you can talk to them about success and what it means, but until they feel it, it doesn’t become real.

“I’ve got no doubt that all those boys – having this feeling – will want it again. And to get it again they’re going to have to make similar sacrifices. They’ve climbed the mountain now. They know what it takes to get to where we are.

"I think that does, it accelerates the opportunities to build a team who can be successful and play at a high standard for years to come. I really feel that this can be a great platform for us to kick on.”

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