Mikel Arteta, Getty Images January 30, 2026, 3:15 p.m

At the moment, the regulations of the Premier League allow clubs to enter 20 football players (11 main players and 9 substitutes) into the application for the game, of which five can go on the field. Arteta insists the English league should follow the example of the Champions League, where a 23-man entry is allowed.

According to the coach, the current restrictions force him to exclude two or three completely healthy and ready-to-play football players from the team every week, which negatively affects the atmosphere in the team.

“I’m begging them from here, do it like in the Champions League. It’s much better to manage the team, to maintain the value of the players and their mental health, because nobody wants to be excluded from the team,” the coach said.

Arteta stressed that the hardest part of his job is to tell the players that they will not even travel with the team to the match. He explained it using the example of a simple life situation:

“Tell me the job you do. I can’t go into the kitchen tomorrow and tell two chefs, ‘You’re not cooking today, just stand there and watch others cook, or go home.’ It’s really hard,” the specialist emphasized.

The coach noted that when a player is deprived of the chance to even be present on the bench, he begins to feel that he is not good enough, which can lead to the desire to leave the club.

The coach of the gunners also justified his request by the increase in workloads and the density of the calendar. Arsenal, who are competing for trophies in several tournaments, face high demands on the players’ fitness.