Arsenal delivered a dominant performance against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, securing a resounding 4-0 victory. The Gunners’ second-half surge, with four goals in 13 minutes, left Atletico manager Diego Simeone impressed. Simeone admitted that Arsenal was the best team his side has faced this season. The win puts Arsenal in a strong position in their Champions League group.
Diego Simeone praises Arsenal after Champions League defeat
Diego Simeone has lauded Arsenal, calling them the “best team” Atletico Madrid has faced this season. This followed Atletico’s 4-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium in the Champions League. Despite a tight first half, Arsenal exploded after the break, scoring four goals in just 13 minutes. This secured a dominant victory and continued their perfect start in the competition.
Gabriel Magalhaes opened the scoring after an hour, heading in Declan Rice’s cross. Gabriel Martinelli then doubled the lead with a fine finish after a solo run from Myles Lewis-Skelly. Viktor Gyokeres ended his goal drought with two goals, sealing a memorable night for Mikel Arteta’s team. The result puts the Gunners joint-top of their Champions League group after three games.
Atletico Madrid manager acknowledges Arsenal’s quality
In his post-match comments, Simeone acknowledged Arsenal’s quality. He admitted that his team had not faced a more complete opponent this season, despite having already played Liverpool and Real Madrid. Simeone told Amazon Prime that Arsenal competed very well, with players who run and have quality across the pitch. He added that Arsenal deserved to win and he congratulated them.
Simeone also said the defeat was a learning curve and that Atletico needed to keep improving. He felt they competed well initially, but Arsenal were the better team after 60 minutes and deserved the victory. Simeone stressed the need to move on and focus on improvements in training.
David Hancko highlights challenge of facing Bukayo Saka
Atletico defender David Hancko echoed his manager’s sentiments, describing Arsenal as one of the elite teams in world football. Hancko told UEFA that it was a very tough game, as expected against one of the best teams in the world. He said he faced Bukayo Saka, which is always a big challenge. The defender noted how close it was at half-time, and how they defended set pieces well.
Hancko noted that Arsenal’s pressure led to quick goals in the second half. “Suddenly in five minutes it was 3–0. It just shows you how good they are, you cannot stop even for one second.” Hancko expressed disappointment at the result, saying the 4-0 scoreline “looks really bad.”
Arsenal’s commanding victory and the subsequent praise from Diego Simeone underscore their growing stature in European football. The Gunners will aim to maintain this momentum as they progress further in the Champions League. With key players returning from injury, Mikel Arteta will be looking to build upon this impressive display.
