Arsenal won big on their return to the Champions League
As the reigning Premier League runner-up, Arsenal returns to the Champions League this season. This is the first time since the 2016-2017 season under legendary coach Arsene Wenger that they have participated in Europe's highest playing field at the club level. Mohamed Elneny is the only player left from the Champions League squad 6 years ago, but is only on the bench.
The match against PSV was also the first time many Arsenal players breathed the atmosphere at Europe's most prestigious club-level playground, including Ben White, William Saliba or rookies David Raya and Declan Rice. Only Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and 2021 champion Kai Havertz have had Champions League experience.
However, Arsenal still played jubilantly and created their biggest victory since the beginning of the season. At minute 8, fans at Emirates Stadium celebrated the opening goal. Bukayo Saka rushed to the corner after captain Martin Odegaard's shot from outside the penalty area was blocked by goalkeeper Walter Benitez.
The controversial situation came five minutes later, when PSV claimed that Zinchenko had blocked the ball with his hand from Johan Bakayoko's right wing cross. But after consulting VAR, referee Felix Zwayer did not give the away team 11m.
Escaping the penalty, Arsenal quickly doubled the gap. In the 20th minute, Saka passed a cross so Leandro Trossard kicked the ball close to the penalty area and sent the ball to the far corner, out of Benitez's reach. With Saka and Trossard, for the first time Arsenal has two players opening fire in their Champions League debut.
In the 38th minute, Trossard continued to leave his mark by escaping down the left wing and then crossing into the penalty area for Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian striker controlled a beat and then shot diagonally, helping Arsenal enter the break with a three-goal advantage.
In the second half, coach Mikel Arteta replaced most of the pillars by sending Reiss Nelson, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Emile Smith-Rowe, Fabio Vieira and Jorginho onto the field. However, the "Gunners" still controlled the match and delivered the finishing blow in the 70th minute. Nelson passed to the second line so Odegaard pushed a step and then finished with his left foot to the far corner, setting the score 4-0.
In the remaining match, Sevilla let Lens draw 1-1 at Sanchez Pizjuan's home field. With these results, Arsenal leads Group B with three points and will meet Lens in round two on October 3. Before that, Arteta and his team will play the London derby with Tottenham in round six of the Premier League this weekend.
