It might not be ’s most celebrated win over a membership from the Spanish capital in 2025 however there was one thing seismic, one thing spectacular about it nonetheless. didn’t simply emulate Actual Madrid, : they surpassed them. And never in the proper manner. Actual misplaced 3-0 on one among ’s best nights. Within the area of 13 surreal minutes, Arsenal scored 4 occasions in opposition to the membership who was the byword for defensive solidity.
Arteta could usually be accused of being too cautious, too conservative, however this was Arsenal being rampant and expansive. This was an announcement outcome. Arteta could shrug off a standing as favourites for the Premier League however final season’s semi-finalists illustrated they are going to be a severe pressure within the , too.
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If Arteta might benefit from the scoreline, he might actually savour the identification of one of many scorers. was deep into an eighth sport with out a aim and, other than one shot that Jan Oblak saved, he scarcely regarded probably to offer one. Then got here two objectives in three minutes, the primary deflected, the second directed in along with his thigh. Gyokeres’ opener, ending his drought, was inadvertently redirected by David Hancko however aid engulfed the Emirates when it nestled within the web. The £54m ahead’s objectives have been the 2 least important, within the context of the sport, however maybe the extra necessary, within the context of their season and his Arsenal profession.
Viktor Gyokeres, left, scored twice to finish his barren run in a dominant 4-0 Arsenal victory in opposition to Atletico Madrid(John Walton/PA) (PA Wire)
Gabriel Martinelli put the Gunners two up in an unimaginable 13-minute four-goal blitz (Getty Photographs)
Arsenal had pulled away from Atletico with totally different objectives from totally different Gabriels: Gabriel Magalhaes with a trademark header, from a terrific counter-attack. The razor-sharp Martinelli is shaping up as their Champions League specialist: he has scored in all three video games as Arsenal have made a one hundred pc begin. Three extra wins ought to e book a top-eight end, and so they can plan to skip the play-off spherical.
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They’re taking a well-known route in one other respect, too. The Premier League was purported to be the set-piece league. When Arsenal play, the Champions League is, too. They bookended the scoring with dead-ball objectives. Declan Rice’s free kick, curling in viciously, was glanced in by Magalhaes. His deep nook was met by Gabriel, who allowed Gyokeres to thigh in his second. Rice had been the scourge of Actual along with his free kicks, when taking pictures. Atletico had no reply to his set-pieces. Figuring out Arsenal excel at them is one factor, stopping them one other altogether.
And Magalhaes is a phenomenon in his personal proper. It’s arduous to think about a centre-back who’s so constantly menacing within the opposition’s penalty field because the Brazilian, who ended with a aim and an help. Atletico, who had been threatening to interrupt the impasse themselves, as an alternative capitulated. This, it transpired, was much more painful than having to endure chilly showers after coaching on Monday.
Arsenal’s four-goal blitz was all of the extra exceptional as there was a case for saying that, early within the second half, Atletico regarded prone to break the impasse. Julian Alvarez was excellent and curled a shot in opposition to the bar.
Earlier than the break, he had nearly curled the ball into an unguarded web from an inconceivable angle, David Raya having taken a danger in possession and being each caught out, and caught out of possession, by Guiliano Simeone.
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However there had been an ambition to Arsenal’s play. Arteta has launched the handbrake. Taking part in Eberechi Eze as a No 10 nearly yielded a dividend, albeit in lucky style, when his shoot looped up off Hancko and on to the bar, whereas Rice might have scored the rebound. Eze provided the defence-splitting cross, too, when Jan Oblak made a terrific save from Bukayo Saka.
Gabriel headed Arsenal in entrance (Getty Photographs)
Gyokeres used his thigh for Arsenal’s fourth (Getty Photographs)
And Martinelli oozed with menace. He had the ball within the web earlier – offside, making use of a contact to Saka’s cross-shot – but when the celebrations have been curtailed then, they weren’t when he curled in a shot after a storming run by Myles Lewis-Skelly. Arsenal had possessed an attacking risk from their full-backs from the off, and Arteta was justified in recalling Lewis-Skelly. He and Jurrien Timber have been each distinguished within the closing third.
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The aspect’s aptitude was obvious, too, in a beautiful flick by Martin Zubimendi when he had despatched Gyokeres clear, earlier than Oblak once more saved.
That Zubimendi collected a warning could not concern Arsenal. He has three in as many Champions League matches and can serve a ban, however in opposition to Slavia Prague. He might be again for Bayern Munich and that, given this outcome, is a sport Arsenal could not have to win.
In distinction, Atletico, overwhelmed twice in England after dropping to Liverpool, have fairly much less leeway, no less than to complete within the high eight. They did grow to be the primary group in three video games to report a shot on the right track in opposition to Arsenal. However that might be of scant comfort to Simeone. Not after these 13 minutes that have been superior for Arsenal however terrible for Atletico.