Arsenal: A Resounding Victory Over Atletico Madrid

In a match that witnessed a sweeping victory, Arsenal achieved a resounding 4-0 win over their guest, Atlético Madrid, in their meeting at the Emirates Stadium, as part of the third round of the Champions League.

“The Gunners’” goals were scored by: Gabriel Magalhães, Gabriel Martinelli and Viktor Gyökeres (“brace”), in the 57th, 64th, 67th and 70th minutes respectively.

With this result, Arsenal strengthened its position in the standings, achieving the full mark with 9 points, to occupy third place, while Atlético’s score froze at 3 points in eighteenth place.

:Mikel Arteta, Arsenal coach, chose the following line-up to start the match: David Raya – Skelly – Gabriel – Saliba – Timber – Rice – Zubimendi – Eze – Martinelli – Saka – Gyökeres.

:Diego Simeone, the Atlético coach, relied on the following line-up: Jan Oblak – Hancko – Le Normand – Giménez – Llorente – González – Koke – Barrios – Simeone – Soloroth – Álvarez.

Negative first half

The English team almost opened the scoring early through Eze, who fired a shot from the edge of the penalty area, which hit the foot of a defender, changing its course, and almost settled in the net, were it not for it hitting the crossbar.

Then the ball rebounded to Rice inside the penalty area, who met it with a direct shot, but it went slightly over the crossbar.

Eze also set up a ball to Skelly inside the penalty area, who fired a creeping ball that passed next to the “Rojiblancos” goal.

Oblak shone in saving his goal from a sure goal, after coming out to block Saka, who received a through pass inside the penalty area, and tried to direct it directly towards the empty goal, but the Atlético goalkeeper was on time.

Raya committed a serious mistake by leaving his penalty area and being late in passing the ball, so Barrios pressed him and forced him to take the ball out for a throw-in, which Atlético players quickly executed, reaching Álvarez, who tried to exploit the absence of the Arsenal goalkeeper, and fired a ball from the right side towards the empty goal, but it passed next to him without shaking the net.

Saka penetrated from the right side of the penalty area, and sent a ground cross towards Martinelli in the heart of the penalty area, who met it with a touch to the net, but the assistant referee indicated offside.

Álvarez fired a free kick from a long distance, but it passed next to the right post of the “Gunners” goal.

Before the end of the first half, a cross reached Martinelli near Oblak’s goal, but he failed to direct it with his head towards the net, so it hit his shoulder and turned out of the field.

Exciting second half

Only 4 minutes after the start of the second half, Álvarez almost surprised the home side with a leading goal from a powerful shot, but the ball hit the crossbar.

Gyökeres almost shook Oblak’s net after receiving a pass from Zubimendi inside the penalty area, and tried to direct it directly towards the net, but the Slovenian goalkeeper brilliantly saved it.

Arsenal succeeded in opening the scoring from a set piece, which Rice executed by sending an accurate cross towards Gabriel, who turned it with his head into the net.

Atlético tried to quickly equalize, but the Arsenal defense was solid and bravely repelled successive attacks.

Hancko advanced to the Arsenal penalty area to meet Llorente’s cross, but the ball touched his head and passed next to the right post.

In the 63rd minute, :Simeone made 3 changes at once, bringing in Gallagher, Bayna and Ruggeri instead of Koke, Giménez and González, hoping to revitalize his team and come back in the match.

But Arsenal managed to strengthen their lead a few minutes later through Martinelli, who received a through pass from Luis Skelly, and fired a direct ball towards the right corner, to settle inside the net.

The home side quickly added the third goal through Gyökeres, who received a ball near the goal, and tried to place it in the right corner, but it hit the foot of a defender and turned into the net.

Only 3 minutes later, the Swedish striker returned to score his second goal and his team’s fourth, after meeting a pass from Gabriel’s head, with a direct touch from the goal line, into the net.

Raya blocked a shot launched by Almada from inside the penalty area, preventing Atlético from reducing the difference.

Despite some few attempts from Atlético, Arsenal managed to impose their control and maintain their lead, amid the collapse of the guests morally and their inability to pose any danger to Raya’s goal, while Oblak blocked a shot from Nwaneri, preventing him from scoring the fifth goal, seconds before the final whistle.

Figures from the match

Gyökeres scored two goals in 3 minutes against Atlético, which is more than he scored in his last nine matches with Arsenal, where he only scored one goal.

Atlético continued their historical failure away from home against English teams, in the group stage/league, as they have not achieved any victory in 6 matches so far, losing 4 of them and drawing in two.

Arsenal has become the first team in Champions League history to achieve 7 consecutive victories against Spanish teams, at the expense of Real Madrid (2), Sevilla (2), Girona, Athletic Bilbao and Atlético Madrid.