Many have been surprised by just how good Arsenal have been so far this season, even Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners are top of the Premier League and Champions League tables, losing only two matches so far this season.
Arsenal are the team to beat in Europe, having extended their perfect start to the league phase with a sixth consecutive win, beating Club Brugge 3-0.
The run of form is exemplary, and while Arteta has been putting in the work for years to get his squad to this level, even the Arsenal manager has been caught off guard by recent form.
Mikel Arteta admitted that even he didn’t anticipate Arsenal’s Champions League form
Arteta absolutely loved what he saw from his players against Club Brugge, singling out goalscorers Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke for praise.
It was a top night for the Gunners and one that Arteta didn’t expect to represent what it did.
In his post-match press conference, the boss was asked if he expected his Arsenal squad to make it six wins in a row in the Champions League.
“No, and probably as well, looking back as well, all the players that we missed,” Arteta admitted.
Fill in the blank: I’m __% confident that Arsenal will win the 25/26 Champions League.
The win over Bayern Munich was a high, but it wasn’t necessarily the most significant, as the Spaniard painted a picture of the different challenges his team have faced so far.
“But it shows, and they were all very different games. It’s a completely different game to the Bayern Munich one, or the one we played in Bilbao, or the ones that we played at home, but it’s good, the team can adapt to any context. And that will give confidence as well, that we can come to this ground and win again, and that’s something great.”
It’s been a fantastic start to the Champions League campaign and the season as a whole for Arsenal, who are showing real intent in their objective to win major titles.
Arsenal are showing the English clubs up in the Champions League
Arsenal aren’t only looking down on their English rivals in the Premier League, but in the Champions League, too.
With a record six clubs from the English top flight participating in the tournament this season, it’s the Gunners who are leading the way quite spectacularly.
Tell us how far each English club will go in the Champions League this season.
Just like in the Premier League, the closest English club to Arsenal after matchday six in the Champions League is Manchester City, who sit five points behind Arteta’s side.
Liverpool sit six points behind, with Spurs having a seven-point deficit, followed by Chelsea and Newcastle, who are eight points behind.
Who has the best chance of catching Arsenal? The knockout phases will reveal all.
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