Piero Hincapie shares Arsenal dressing room mood ahead of history defining stretch

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Piero Hincapie insists the whole dressing room is dreaming of completing a historic double.

Arsenal are just two wins away from winning their first Premier League title in 22 years as they face Burnley on Monday and then go to Crystal Palace on the final day of the season. Then they face Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest on Saturday, May 30.

Arsenal have never won the European Cup before and Hincapie says they want to complete a clean sweep after their remarkable season has put them on the brink of huge success.

Gunners defender Hincapie said: “I feel that excitement too for the club. On a personal level, it's also important that in your first season you become champion.

“It would bring an immense happiness and be crazy for me, too. But the truth is that it is a very nice moment that the club is going through as well to reach a Champions League final and to be two games away from another Premier League title.

“There was something very exciting in the dressing room and also a lot of desire to want to win everything. But, as I say, it's always step by step, game by game, and we hope to give joy to the club and to all the fans.

“The truth is that I see a lot of happiness and I'm very, very much looking forward to the games ahead. We have worked hard all season and, well, let's hope we are happy at the end of the season.”

Hincapie, 24, already knows what it feels like to win the title having won the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen. That experience and know-how has inspired him as he looks for more success with Arsenal and he is one of few in the squad who has that title winning feeling.

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He is still on a season-long loan at Arsenal but they are set to make the deal permanent because he has been a huge success in his first season. But Hincapie says he has also felt great support from the fans to help get the team over the line as they have gone toe-to-toe with Manchester City in the title race.

Hincapie said: “In a positive way. I think that from what has happened in the past seasons, I think they have even more desire to want to win the title.

“As we always say, they are the ones who are always supporting us everywhere and it would be a very nice present for all those who have been fighting for years for this dream and also for the fans.”

Hincapie also says that Mikel Arteta has been crucial in helping him find his feet at a new club this season. He said the experience has been “very nice”.

“From the beginning he has always been supporting me in everything. As I said before, it's a new league, a new experience, a new club with players of a very high level and he's always there to help us at all times.”

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It has been a big change in culture for the Ecuador international who says he took time to find his feet - but is now a firm crowd favourite for his tenacious defending and determination.

He said: “When I arrived it was obviously a bit different. A new club is obviously it's difficult to adapt at the beginning to a new league, which is very different to the one we have come from.

“But I think we've done it in the best way. We have worked for that and that's why we are where we are.”

Hincapie also has a World Cup to look forward to this summer and is part of the Ecuador squad which has been painted as dark horses with the likes of Chelsea ’s Moises Caicedo another standout star. But his first priority is success with Arsenal.

He added: “During this time there has been very little talk about it, because it's true that there is still a long way to go before the World Cup.”

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