Daijiworld Media Network – London

London, May 22: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta extended his congratulations to North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur for winning the Europa League but emphasized that lifting a trophy should not be the only measure of a team's success in a season.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Arteta lauded Spurs' achievement despite their poor Premier League form, which sees them languishing in 17th place. “They are champions and when you get to that you have to do a lot of things right,” said Arteta. “They’re going through a season with a lot of obstacles and difficulties, and they’ve had, at the end, a beautiful moment.”

However, when asked whether Arsenal second in the Premier League behind champions Liverpool had a better season than Spurs, the Spaniard avoided comparisons. “I don’t like to compare with other teams. I need to analyse my team, that’s my job,” he remarked.

Arteta, whose team reached the Champions League semi-finals this season but failed to win any silverware, said success goes beyond just trophies. “Where is the joy then? Because then if I have to analyse ourselves, we have failed the last 20 years in the Premier League and we have failed in all our history in the Champions League,” he said.

“Who are we then? Where is our brand, where is our club... where is our value, our way of playing? Where are the moments that we lived together with our people?” he asked, stressing the importance of long-term growth and shared experiences.

Looking ahead to their final league match against relegated Southampton, Arteta said Arsenal remain motivated. “We want to have as many points as possible. We still want to achieve the best defensive record ... finish the season on a high,” he added.

Arsenal have conceded just 33 goals this season seven fewer than Liverpool and are keen to maintain their defensive superiority in what has been a strong, if trophyless, campaign.