Arsenal shines brilliantly in the Champions League

Before kickoff, Arsenal gained an advantage by becoming the first team to secure direct qualification to the round of 16, following an unexpected loss by the giant Man City to Bodo/Glimt. With a relaxed mindset, Arteta’s team started the match with determination and quickly dominated the game at Inter Milan’s Giuseppe Meazza stadium thanks to a brace from Gabriel Jesus and the decisive third goal by Victor Gyokeres that sealed the 3-1 victory.

Gabriel Jesus has solidified his position in the striker competition ahead of the big clash against Manchester United this weekend. To date, Jesus has directly contributed to 34 Champions League goals (26 scored, 8 assists) in 52 appearances. Meanwhile, although only playing about 15 minutes, Swedish forward Viktor Gyokeres made an impact with a precise shot into the top corner of Inter’s goal.

With the simultaneous return of Jesus, Gyokeres, and Kai Havertz, coach Arteta now boasts one of the deepest attacking lines in Europe. The battle for the striker spot has thus become a “pleasant headache” for the Spanish manager during this crucial phase of the season.

The Gunners secured the first spot in the round of 16 one match early with a record of 7 straight wins. This is the first time in the London club’s history that they have won 7 consecutive matches in a UEFA competition. It is also Arsenal’s longest winning streak in this tournament. Among English clubs, only Man City has a longer Champions League winning run with 10 matches as of March 2024. If Arsenal beats Kairat in the final game, they will set a record for an unbeaten group stage since the Champions League adopted its current format.

"Winning 7 matches in a row is very difficult. But it demonstrates our consistency, and more than that, the team’s ambition to always push forward to the next round, to improve and become better, and to win. That’s what we aim to do, and we won’t stop. Let’s see how far we can go in this competition, but so far, we are very pleased. We will enjoy the win against Inter and then focus on the important match against Man United,” shared coach Mikel Arteta.

With their current position, Arsenal will greatly benefit from the new Champions League rules. Specifically, the top 4 teams will play the second leg at home in the round of 16 and quarterfinals. Additionally, the two group winners will also have home advantage in the semifinals. Thus, Arsenal will host the second leg at Emirates in all three knockout rounds. Arsenal has also extended their unbeaten streak across all competitions to 12 matches (10 wins, 2 draws).

Arsenal has every reason to be proud when reflecting on their journey. Arteta has done an exceptional job over six years at Emirates. He transformed a team that was unstable and often lost its identity into a genuine title contender. Yes, Arsenal has spent a lot of money. But in modern football, no club succeeds without investment. The pressure this season is unavoidable, and Arteta understands this better than anyone.