Arsenal beat PSV Eindhoven 4-0. This victory, after a hiatus of six years, has added verve to the club and their fans.
Arsenal beat PSV Eindhoven 4-0 and initiated an impressive start to the season at the Emirates Stadium. This is a much-needed victory for Arsenal after missing out on European competition for six years. In this match, goals from Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus catapulted the team to an easy victory under the captainship of Martin Odegaard, who scored the fourth goal in the second half.
Arsenal last appeared in Europe's elite in 2015 when they tasted victory in the FA Cup. This win has reignited the belief among fans and the club that they can once again compete at the highest level of European football. Captain Martin Odegaard said, "I think you saw the motivation, the energy straight from the start. To be back in this competition is huge for us as a club, and I think you saw that on the pitch today. We really enjoyed it." Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed in the post-match news conference, "It was great to see the atmosphere and hear the Champions League music. Today I think we were really good in both boxes. In the Champions League, when you're really good in both boxes, you have a great chance."
Arsenal had qualified for the Champions League for 19 straight years but had not played in the competition since 2017.
On the other side, PSV Eindhoven, a renowned Dutch team, was unable to stop Arsenal's whirlwind performance. Right from the start, Arsenal was determined not to give PSV any chances to get back into the game and maintained total control of the situation on the ground. PSV defender Jordan Teze said, "Arsenal is a really good team; they have a lot of quality and play in a very smart way. We don't come up against teams like that in the Dutch competition."
This spectacular victory lays a solid foundation from which the team can build their challenge in Group B. It represents a much-needed resurgence for the club and will be remembered as a defining moment. Now, the onus is on the club to maintain this rhythm in the upcoming matches and provide ample opportunities to enthral their fans.