Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta attended a pre-match press conference ahead of the Champions League round-of-16 second leg at home against Lille. In the first part of the conference, Arteta discussed injuries to Hincapié and Zubimendi during the post-match training session, the team's offensive performance, Eze's playing opportunities, emotional control during matches, and his assessment of his former teammate Giroud.

Reporter: Hello, Mikel. First, I'd like you to provide an update on the team's injury situation. We saw Piero Hincapié apparently get injured after the match. How did that happen? Of course, it's very unfortunate. How is he now?

Arteta: What happened was that after the match, we organized a training session for players who didn't get enough playing time, to help them recover for Sunday and keep everyone in optimal match rhythm. Unfortunately, in two very unlucky collisions, we lost two players. Yes, it feels terrible.

Reporter: What are their injuries? Is the other injured player Martin Zubimendi?

Arteta: Yes. We need to evaluate them. They will undergo further assessments today to determine the actual situation, and then we'll know the proper recovery timeline and how long they'll be out.

Reporter: Looking back at last weekend's match, you've had a few days to analyze it. What's your assessment of that performance? Also, tomorrow you'll face Lille.

Arteta: Looking back at that match, there were many positives. Clearly, the way we reacted in a very difficult situation and turned it around was outstanding. Our start to the match was also impressive. We do need to improve our finishing in the final third, and our defensive performance in the penalty area also needs improvement. Overall, especially after the international break, I'm very satisfied with the result.

Reporter: Throughout this season, the team has shown very strong mentality, but there may be room for improvement in attack, such as fluidity in transitions? How do you see the development?

Arteta: I think the development has been very good. I think we may need to improve our finishing, but in terms of offensive creativity before the international break, I think it's better than in previous years. Of course, after that, we played against Brighton, and other matches in a completely different context. But I do think we created some very good positions and chances, and now we need to be more clinical and convert more chances into goals.

Reporter: I want to ask specifically about one player: Eberechi Eze. This season, he's only started two matches, and he wasn't used off the bench this past weekend. Do you have higher expectations for him? How would you describe his performances so far this season?

Arteta: Like anyone else, I believe players have to earn their playing time through their performances. It has to be proven through daily training, and when they step onto the pitch, they need to show the impact the match and team need to achieve their objectives. He'll have plenty of opportunities in the future to prove himself. His attitude is always perfect, and we need to adapt and make the most of his individual technical characteristics.

Reporter: Mikel, hello. For Hincapié and Zubimendi, in high-level competition like this, details often determine success or failure. Losing two players in a post-match recovery training session is far from ideal, isn't it?

Arteta: It's far from ideal, yes.

Reporter: What measures could be taken in the future to prevent similar situations from happening again?

Arteta: It's simple: don't train. If they never train, they won't get injured. But the cost of that is when they have to play, they'll be completely out of rhythm; and when you put them on the pitch, they won't have a positive impact on the game. This could happen at Emirates; it's never happened in my seven years here. It could also happen in a training session the next day, which has happened before. Hopefully, now that this has occurred, it won't happen again. But what can you do? If I had a crystal ball, I'd say: guys, everyone go to the jacuzzi, and we'll meet tomorrow.

Reporter: Regarding the footage of Hincapié, he was actually carried off the pitch by the backup goalkeeper, surrounded by many coaches and medical staff. Were you worried at that moment?

Arteta: That's a different matter, not appropriate to discuss here.

Reporter: Hello Mikel, how are you? Your team seems to have learned this season not to panic when things don't go their way. In Saturday's match, they went down a goal but didn't panic. I watched the match against Napoli, and you dominated, but even though you weren't scoring for a while, the entire team remained calm and didn't panic at all. Can you explain how you instill this in your players? Because staying calm and composed on the pitch is a very special skill.

Arteta: I think it's because we have to dominate emotionally, regardless of what situation we're in. It's easy to say, but very difficult to do in practice. We've managed to do it in most of our matches, which is great. But we failed to do it against Brighton and paid the price. So there's always a lesson for the team to learn and improvements to be made. This is very important because in a high-intensity schedule playing every three days, unexpected situations will definitely arise on the pitch, and you have to be able to adapt and deal with them.

Reporter: Tomorrow you'll face a familiar face – Olivier Giroud. Can you share some memories about him?

Arteta: Fantastic. We were teammates. First of all, he's a person with great character, a great teammate in the dressing room. As a player, I remember when he first arrived, he had won the French league with Montpellier. He came here and had a profound impact on the team in a very unique way, with a technical style completely different from what we used before. He's had a remarkable career, and he absolutely deserved it.

Reporter: I actually think he and Kai Havertz are quite similar. I think both are underrated. I think they... especially Olivier, are truly very underrated.

Arteta: Certainly not among his teammates, that's for sure. At least as far as I know, I don't know what others think. But first and foremost, he's a very intelligent player, and very, very difficult to play against. I mean, every time he's on the pitch, he's a major threat in the penalty area. He plays very intelligently, he's excellent at linking up with his teammates, and his work rate and commitment are exceptional. So we don't underestimate him in the slightest.

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