Arsenal’s Historic Champions League Victory: Arteta’s Focus on Trophies Over Records
In a night that will be remembered for its sheer dominance, Arsenal made Champions League history with a resounding 7-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven at the Philips Stadion. This wasn’t just any win; it was the biggest knockout away win ever in the competition. Yet, for Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, the focus remains firmly on the pursuit of trophies rather than setting records.
Tuesday’s round-of-16, first leg clash saw Arsenal’s attacking prowess on full display. Goals from Jurriën Timber, Ethan Nwaneri, Mikel Merino, Leandro Trossard, and Martin Ødegaard put the Gunners 5-1 up after just 48 minutes. Ødegaard added another to his tally before Riccardo Calafiori sealed the deal with a seventh goal, marking the joint-biggest defeat in PSV’s 112-year history.
When asked about the significance of this landmark victory, Arteta was quick to downplay the record-breaking aspect. “It’s very significant but it’s just to put yourself in a really strong position to go through to the next round,” he said. “That’s it; that’s the reality. To put landmarks, we have to really make it to a very different level. But obviously, this team has done a lot that hasn’t been done in many, many years or in the history of the club. Which means a lot, but that’s not what we want.”
Arsenal’s recent form had been a cause for concern, with the team scoring just twice in their last four matches. The absence of key attacking players like Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli due to injuries had left the team looking blunted. However, this performance was a testament to the depth and resilience of Arteta’s squad.
Arteta reflected on the unpredictability of football, saying, “That’s the beauty of it, nobody in this room, if I give you an envelope and say, ‘can you predict what’s going to happen tomorrow and who is going to score,’ [nobody would say 7-1] that’s the beauty of football. In football, and you do very well today, put your head down, be humble, analyse how you can improve. Because the next game is going to be completely different to this one, and nobody can write the script, unfortunately, even if we would like to.”
- Arsenal’s 7-1 victory is the biggest knockout away win in Champions League history.
- Goals were scored by Jurriën Timber, Ethan Nwaneri, Mikel Merino, Leandro Trossard, Martin Ødegaard, and Riccardo Calafiori.
- PSV Eindhoven suffered their joint-biggest defeat in their 112-year history.
- Arsenal had scored just twice in their last four matches before this game.
- Key players Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli were absent due to injuries.
As Arsenal fans celebrate this historic win, the message from Arteta is clear: while records are nice, the ultimate goal is to bring home silverware. With this kind of performance, the Gunners have certainly put themselves in a strong position to do just that.
Originally Written by: James Olley
