Arsenal delivered a statement performance in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night, dismantling Atletico Madrid 4-0 at the Emirates Stadium to extend their perfect start in the competition.
The Gunners, under Mikel Arteta, showcased ruthless efficiency in a blistering second-half display, scoring four goals in just 13 minutes to leave Diego Simeone’s side shell-shocked and firmly rooted to the bottom of their league phase standings.
The match, part of Matchday 3 in the revamped Champions League format, saw Arsenal move to nine points from three games without conceding a single goal—their first such streak since October 2007.
Atletico, meanwhile, remain with just three points, their defensive frailties exposed against a rampant home attack.
The first half was a cagey affair, with both teams trading blows but failing to find the net. Arsenal started brightly, dominating possession and creating chances through their wide threats. Gabriel Martinelli thought he had broken the deadlock in the 20th minute, poking home a pinpoint cross from Bukayo Saka, only for VAR to rule it out for offside by the narrowest of margins. Eberechi Eze nearly made amends soon after, his deflected effort rattling the crossbar, while Atletico’s Julian Alvarez—a summer signing from Manchester City—tested David Raya with a audacious long-range strike that the Arsenal keeper had to scramble back to tip away.
Atletico, known for their gritty resilience under Simeone, absorbed the pressure and nearly capitalized on a counter just before halftime, but Arsenal’s Declan Rice cleared the danger. The scoreline at the break read 0-0, with the Emirates crowd growing impatient yet optimistic.
The second half ignited in spectacular fashion. Four minutes after the restart, Alvarez danced through the Arsenal midfield and unleashed a thunderbolt that crashed off the woodwork, a stark reminder of Atletico’s threat. But Arsenal responded with the composure of title contenders. In the 56th minute, a well-worked corner routine unlocked the visitors’ defense: Rice’s inswinging delivery found Gabriel Magalhães rising highest to bullet a header past Jan Oblak and into the top corner. It was the Brazilian defender’s second goal in as many Champions League matches this season, underscoring Arsenal’s set-piece prowess.
From there, the floodgates opened. Arsenal’s pressing game suffocated Atletico, leading to a devastating counter in the 63rd minute. Rice intercepted a loose pass and surged forward, feeding Martinelli on the left flank. The Brazilian winger cut inside and rifled a low shot into the far corner, doubling the lead and silencing any hopes of an Atletico comeback.
The Emirates erupted again three minutes later as Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal’s prolific Swedish striker who had endured a seven-match goal drought entering the game, broke his duck. Another Rice corner caused chaos in the box, and Gyokeres pounced on a loose ball to smash home from close range—his first goal in eight outings. The 27-year-old wasn’t done. In the 69th minute, Gabriel flicked on a header from yet another set-piece, and Gyokeres reacted quickest to tap in the fourth, completing a quickfire double that turned the contest into a procession.
Atletico, reduced to chasing shadows, managed a few late forays—including a corner in stoppage time—but could find no way past Raya, who earned a clean sheet in relative comfort. Substitutions like Ethan Nwaneri for Arsenal and late pushes from Atletico’s bench failed to alter the script, with the home side seeing out the final minutes amid chants of “Olé.”
