Arteta Dedicates Arsenal's Win Over Lille to Late Club Legend Ken Friar

Mikel Arteta dedicated Arsenal's 3-0 win over Lille on Tuesday to club life president Ken Friar, who died on Monday at the age of 92.

Arteta found out about Friar's death on Tuesday morning, when managing director Richard Garlick called him. Friar served the club for around nine decades and played a big part in the move from Highbury to the Emirates. 

A seven-minute burst in the second half from Jurrien Timber, Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka sealed the win at the ground he helped build.

"That's for him. I'm sure that he has enjoyed the win, the manner that the team played. I know that he was very, very proud about the position of the club right now, the players that we have and the unity and the connection that we have built," Arteta said after the game.

Mikel Arteta paid an emotional tribute to long-serving Arsenal figure Ken Friar following his death earlier this week.

He called it a sad day. "It's a really sad day. When I woke up, I received a call from Richard Garlick to let me know that Ken had passed away. I had the honour to meet him, to spend time with him, to learn from him."

Arteta also spoke about what set Friar apart. "There are people that fulfil their role in a football club and there are very, very few that are able to translate his aura, his personality, his love for the club, to build an identity, to build a culture, to build values and to have the vision for what was next for this football club and to have that incredible mind to create what he has created for the club."

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Friar was a lifelong supporter, and he left a mark on everyone at the club with his humility and energy behind the scenes. 

"His legacy is enormous; it was an absolute pleasure to spend time with him. He's going to be missed, but the good thing is that he's left a legacy. He's going to live forever with this football club and everybody that has come across him."

Arteta said Friar never chased the spotlight. "He never wanted to take credit for anything. He was super focused and thorough in a lot of things. He could joke; the energy that he had at his age was something incredible and that's what made him so special, unique."

The night also saw 40-year-old striker Olivier Giroud return to the Emirates. The win stretched Arsenal's winning run in the Champions League league phase to 14 matches, going back to their defeat by Inter Milan in November 2024. It was also their ninth win in 10 games in all competitions this season.

Arsenal now turn to Nottingham Forest this weekend. A much tougher test follows next Wednesday, when they travel to Germany to face Bayern Munich.