Arsenal produced a ruthless second-half display to dismantle Atletico Madrid 4-0 at the Emirates Stadium, maintaining their perfect Champions League record with a performance that underlined their growing maturity in Europe.
The night began with tension rather than fireworks. Arsenal dominated the ball but found little space against Diego Simeone’s compact side, who had arrived in north London unbeaten in five games.
Eberechi Eze rattled the crossbar with a deflected effort early on, while Julian Alvarez almost caught out David Raya when the goalkeeper strayed far from his area. Both sides carried moments of threat, yet neither could break through in a first half that felt like a test of patience and precision.
That all changed after the break. Atletico’s resistance snapped in the 57th minute when Declan Rice delivered a trademark curling free-kick for Gabriel Magalhaes to power home with a header. It was a familiar sight for Arsenal fans, who have watched their team become one of Europe’s most dangerous sides from set-pieces this season.
The breakthrough sparked an extraordinary 14-minute spell in which Arsenal tore through their Spanish visitors. Myles Lewis-Skelly, handed a bold start by Mikel Arteta, charged through midfield before feeding Gabriel Martinelli, who finished emphatically for 2-0. The home crowd erupted, sensing a statement victory.
Viktor Gyokeres, who had been tireless all evening, added the third after Gabriel flicked on another Rice delivery, the Swedish striker forcing the ball over the line to end his eight-game goal drought. Three minutes later, the pair combined again, Gabriel nodding across goal for Gyokeres to tap in his second and Arsenal’s fourth of the night.
By the time Simeone’s men gathered themselves, the game had long been lost. What had been a disciplined Atletico performance suddenly became a nightmare of defensive disarray. Simeone’s frustration was clear on the touchline as Arsenal’s tempo, aggression, and set-piece mastery overwhelmed his players.
The result means Arsenal have won all three of their Champions League fixtures this season without conceding a goal, extending their run of clean sheets across competitions. They have now scored ten goals from set-pieces this campaign, a testament to Rice’s precision and Arteta’s tactical drilling.
Arsenal are beginning to look like a side that can impose their will on Europe’s elite, combining defensive solidity with devastating bursts of attacking power. With the Premier League leaders set to host Crystal Palace on Sunday, Arteta’s team will aim to carry this European momentum into domestic form.
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