Exclusive: 'We could surprise a few people' - Aaron Ramsdale relishing Arsenal Champions League return
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Updated 19/07/2023 at 19:31 GMT
After six seasons away from the competition, Arsenal will be back competing amongst Europe's elite this season. Following a strong second-place finish in the Premier League, goalkeeper Aaron Ramdale spoke exclusively to TNT Sports about the Gunners' aims and ambitions for the coming season, both domestically and abroad, calling on his team to ensure last season was no "fluke".
Aaron Ramsdale exclusive: 'We could surprise a few people' in the Champions League
Arsenal are planning to "surprise a few people" in this season’s Champions League, according to goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
The Gunners make their return to Europe’s premier football competition after a six-year absence, having finished second in the Premier League last season.
Mikel Arteta’s side produced an unexpected title challenge in 2022/23 and despite falling just short in the final weeks of the campaign, Ramsdale exclusively told TNT Sports that the team’s goals this year are to challenge again domestically as well as in Europe.
“We'll wait and see when we go in and I think we all know pretty much our target,” the England international said. “From the last season, we want to go one better.
“We also want to carry on doing well in the league, qualify for the Champions League again, do well in the Champions League.
“So we'll refine them once we get in and we have our meetings, but I think it's pretty obvious with the signings we've made, more signings hopefully we can make.
“Last year hopefully it wasn't just a fluke. We want to go one better and challenge again.”
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Despite the years in the wilderness, Arsenal’s impressive league campaign meant Champions League qualification was rarely in doubt and Ramsdale is looking forward to playing in the competition for the first time in his career.
The former Sheffield United keeper is anticipating testing himself against the cream of Europe’s top football teams as Arsenal look to make their own mark.
Ramsdale believes Arsenal being something of an unknown quantity could work in their favour.
“I can kind of understand what it's about and everyone wants to play in it,” he said. “You want to be involved in it and hear that magical music at the start.
“So yeah, we look forward to seeing where we get to go and this is the thing, you get to go to some of the best places, best stadiums in the world and you want to see how you fare against them.
“Obviously it'll be the first time for a lot of us, it'll be a new experience but one which people might not know how we're going to react and we could surprise a few people.”
“You've got the two Spain giants,” he added when asked which opponents he’d like to face in the competition, alluding to Real Madrid and Barcelona. “I think everyone wants to play there.
“But I quite like maybe the smaller ones with probably the more hostile atmospheres, like the ones you would never think about going to, almost sort of 'bucket list' type stadiums where it gets really atmospheric, and you get to challenge yourself.
“So it'll be good to see where we end up and hopefully, we can go really well in that tournament and see where it goes.”
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Aaron Ramsdale of Arsenal reacts during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal FC at City Ground on May 20, 2023 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Image credit: Getty Images
Arsenal start their domestic season at home to Nottingham Forest on August 12, in the first Premier League match on TNT Sports.
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