Arsenal Make Historical past with Champions League Win Over Atletico Madrid

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Arsenal raised eyebrows throughout Europe with their 4-0 annihilation of Atlético Madrid on the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night time. But it surely was greater than only a assertion one-off victory for Mikel Arteta's facet towards a staff famously robust to beat. It additionally marked an achievement that no facet competing within the Champions League has ever earlier than managed to tug off.

Document-breaking Champions League run For the seventh straight recreation towards Spanish opposition within the Champions League, Arsenal emerged victorious. Such has been Spain's prowess in Europe's elite membership competitors, such a run has by no means been performed earlier than. The Gunners thrashed Atletico off the again of defeating Athletic Membership on matchday one final month, and residential and away victories over 15-time winners Actual Madrid in final season's quarter-finals. In addition they beat Girona in final season's league section, and Sevilla house and away within the ultimate yr of the group stage in 2023-24.

The Gunners final did not beat a Spanish opponent within the Champions League when Barcelona knocked them out within the final 16 in 2015-16. That being stated, numerous seasons within the Europa League previous to their present resurgence, which included defeats to Atletico and Villarreal, has contributed.

Arteta: We stepped up There's nothing like acting on the most important stage when it actually issues, and that's what Arteta felt he obtained from his staff.

"It was a tricky match. After the [first] aim [Atletico] opened up a bit and it was slightly simpler for us to search out the areas," the supervisor defined on Amazon Prime Video's post-game protection. "Very proud of the consequence. At this stage within the Champions League you really want to step up and we actually did that in each section of the play. Very completely happy."

Arteta was additionally "delighted" to see scrutinised summer time signing Viktor Gyokeres rating twice after a latest drought: "He absolutely deserved it. The work charge he brings to the staff is excellent. We worth lots of issues that he does for the staff and it was the most important smile on his face immediately and take a look at his team-mates. Hopefully that is the beginning of some lovely sequences."

Gyokeres reacts to overdue targets Viktor Gyokeres had by no means performed in one in all Europe's prime 5 home leagues earlier than this season, nor had he performed prime flight soccer of any sort previous to becoming a member of Sporting CP in 2023. That led to solutions that Arsenal paying massive cash for a striker already in his peak years with no confirmed document on the stage they anticipate him to carry out at was a major gamble.

However after greater than a month with no aim and two of his three Premier League strikes coming in a 5-0 pummelling of Leeds United, it was vital for Gyokeres and Arsenal that he ended that mini-drought earlier than it began to eat away at his confidence.

"I'm more than happy," he informed UEFA after the sport. "[Atletico] had some good alternatives however I feel we managed it general. To attain 4 and maintain a clear sheet once more is superb. We all the time maintain going. We do the issues proper after we defend and after we get the probabilities we're extraordinarily sturdy in taking these.

"Each [my] targets have been nice. I attempt to do my finest on a regular basis and work onerous, contribute with totally different stuff and the targets would have come eventually. We need to do nicely, we need to win soccer matches however there is a lengthy journey to go. We'll take it game-by-game, even when that sounds boring."

What comes subsequent for Arsenal? The Gunners should look ahead to the prospect to make it eight straight Champions League wins towards Spanish groups, not dealing with one other on this league section after two already. It might come within the knockout rounds, however interspersed with home commitments, Arsenal will navigate remaining European fixtures towards Slavia Prague, Bayern Munich, Membership Brugge, Inter and Kairat Almaty.

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