The Rampant Gunners extend their record and maintain a perfect start to the Champions League
Arsenal beat Atletico Madrid 4-0 at the Emirates to extend their winning record against Spanish opposition and maintain their perfect start to this season’s Champions League.
Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli and a double from Viktor Gyokeres gave Mikel Arteta’s men their seventh consecutive victory against Spanish sides to improve on what was already a Champions League record.
All the goals came 14 minutes into the second half after Arsenal had been knocking on the door for much of the first half.
The result confirmed the north Londoners’ perfect start to the continent this season, with nine points and zero goals conceded on a night which marked the club’s 100th game in Europe’s elite competition.
Arsenal starts brilliantly
The Gunners exploded the blocks. They came close just four minutes later when Eze’s shot from the edge of the area took a wide deflection, flying over Jan Oblak before crashing against the bar. From the follow-up, Declan Rice’s volley into the ground bounced back into the goal.
From there, Miles Lewis-Skelly dragged a left-footed effort wide and Oblak saved well from Saka at his feet with Arsenal probing.
Midway through the half, they had the ball in the Atletico goal when Martin Zubamendi collected the ball in midfield and fed Saka on the right.
The England winger in turn found Martinelli with a low ball across the box and the Brazilian gratefully tapped into an empty net. But before he could celebrate, the goal was quickly ruled out for offside and the scores remained tied.
The Gunners had suffered no breach in their first two European matches this season. However, they were almost undone in bizarre fashion when David Raya rushed out of his goal to knock the ball out of play.
Atletico quickly took the resulting throw-in, but their open goal attempt bounced harmlessly wide of the goal.
It was a sort of relaxation for the hosts in a half that they largely dominated.
An avalanche of goals in the Emirates
After the break, it was Atletico’s turn to shake the woodwork when former Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez hit the bar with a beautiful curling shot.
Gyokeres was then denied when his driven effort was quickly smothered by Oblak before Arsenal eventually broke the deadlock.
From another free-kick, Rice’s whipped free-kick fell invitingly into Gabriel’s path and the defender made no mistake, heading beyond the Atletico keeper to give the Gunners the lead.
Seven minutes later it was two, Martinelli finishing well from a narrow angle on the Gunners left.
Gyokeres then added a third and a fourth in quick succession and suddenly it was a rout. The hosts took advantage of the remaining minutes to record an incredibly clinical second half.
