Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid: “It was a very difficult game” – Arteta

Arsenal created a breath-taking second-half performance misleading Atletiko Madrid 4-0 in the Emirates stadium on Tuesday evening maintaining their unbroken record in the champions league.

The game was at par during the first hour. Then everything changed. Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli, and two goals by Viktor Gyoke also made the match a rout leaving Diego Simeone stunned upon the side.

Atletiko nearly got the first goal when Julián Alvarez hit the crossbar at the beginning of the second half. However, a few minutes later, Gabriel, an Arsenal defender, leaped up in the air and scored the goal of the 57 th minute, off a free kick delivered by Declan Rice, triggering a goal run.

Martinelli made the game even more comfortable seven minutes later with a composed finish following an easy team effort. Gyokeres would soon after end his nine goal scoring dry spell, rolling a shot into the net that had been deflected to go 3 0. Another set-piece then saw the Swedish striker score his second goal to complete the victory.

The outcome was the ninth game in a row in all the competitions that Arsenal had not lost. Mikel Arteta and his men already have a ticket to the knockout round with 9 points achieved by winning all three matches of the group stage without conceding a single goal.

Atletico had not lost in six consecutive games until this and they will need to pick themselves up after a mortifying night in North London.

It was a very difficult game, Arteta said afterwards. Once we had made the first goal, the gaps became available, and we seized the chances. At this stage, you must take it to the next level and we did just that last night.

Simeone acknowledged that they themselves were the ones who were beaten by themselves. It is not damn misfortune, it is errors. Arsenal seized each opportunity that we had offered them and had retaliated.

Arsenal has got on the right foot and may have been ahead of the game. Jan Oblak saved a shot of Bukayo Saka, and Eberechi Eze missed his shot which deflected by David Hancko and hit the bar. Another golden opportunity was when Atletico dominated Arsenal with a loss of possession by David Raya, a keeper in the Arsenal squad, but Álvarez failed to score a goal in an open goal through a very narrow angle.

When Gabriel opened the scoring, however, it was too late. The confidence and creativity of Arsenal was running on a loose rein and the late brace of Gyokerers completed a statement victory.

Everything Viktor adds to the team, we enjoy, said Arteta with a smile. You would know how much those goals were to him. Hopefully, that is the beginning of something good.

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