Gabriel Martinelli issued a warning to his Arsenal teammates to 'prepare for the worst' as they gear up for their much-anticipated return to the Champions League next season.
After a seven-year absence, the Gunners secured a spot in Europe's most prestigious club competition by finishing in second place last season, narrowly missing out on the Premier League title to Manchester City.
Despite their remarkable performance in the league, Arsenal will face tough competition in the Champions League draw. The team is placed in pot 2, raising the possibility of confronting football giants like Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain from pot 1.
"I think we need to prepare ourselves for the worst, we need to prepare ourselves for the best teams and the whole team is doing that," Martinelli said on the tasks Arsenal will face next season ahead of his side's match against Barcelona in their pre-season friendly in the United States.
"I think we are ready for a new challenge. [Squad depth is] so important because we have too many games in the season and it's going to be tough again."
"We are ready to go and it's good to have so many options," added Martinelli, whose contributions led to 15 goals and five assists in 36 Premier League appearances last season.
Manager Mikel Arteta has bolstered the squad significantly during the summer transfer window with key signings such as Kai Havertz from Chelsea, Jurrien Timber from Ajax, and Declan Rice from West Ham, a club record incoming.
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