Football Managers Comment on EFL Cup Final, Global Conflicts, and Player Injury - February 2026

Mikel Arteta stated that Arsenal's qualification for the EFL Cup final will serve as motivation for their Premier League title aspirations after defeating Chelsea 1-0. Separately, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola publicly expressed that he is "hurt" by the suffering caused in global conflicts and vowed to continue speaking out on humanitarian issues. In Germany, national coach Julian Nagelsmann expressed support for goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, who suffered an injury setback that jeopardizes his World Cup 2026 aspirations.