Arsenal were having a tough time, but Martin Ødegaard’s return from injury gave them the boost they needed. After a few disappointing results, Ødegaard came back to action, and his performance helped turn things around, especially in their dominant 5-1 win over Sporting Lisbon in the UEFA Champions League.
Teammate Bukayo Saka couldn’t hide his excitement: “He is an unbelievable player,” he said. “The day he came back, I had a big smile on my face. You can see the chemistry we have, and I love playing with him. I’m happy he’s back, and I hope he stays fit.”
Sporting Lisbon had been unbeaten in 19 matches, even beating Manchester City recently, and had been in great form. But Arsenal played their best half of the season in the first 45 minutes, leading 3-0 at halftime with goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Magalhães. The first two goals came from a powerful right-wing partnership between Ødegaard and Saka, which Sporting struggled to defend against. In fact, 65% of Arsenal’s attacks in the first half came down that wing.
Ødegaard often drifts to the right to link up with Saka, and it’s a move many teams have trouble stopping. With Jurrien Timber filling in well for the injured Ben White, Arsenal looked dangerous every time they went forward on that side. Timber assisted Martinelli’s opening goal, and Saka helped set up Havertz for the second.
After Sporting pulled one back early in the second half, Arsenal started to show some nerves. But Ødegaard wasn’t fazed. He sprinted forward, passed Sporting’s defender Inácio, and was brought down in the box for a penalty. Saka calmly converted the penalty, and Leandro Trossard added a fifth goal later to seal the win.
Despite Sporting’s strong season, Arsenal made the difference in quality look clear. This was the first time they had scored five away goals in the Champions League since 2008. Before this game, there were doubts about Arsenal’s ability to perform away in Europe, but this 5-1 win showed just how far they’ve come.
After the match, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised his team. “This is for sure one of our best European away performances,” he said. “We played against a team that hadn’t lost at home in 18 months, and we showed incredible fluidity and confidence.”
Arteta also mentioned how having more players fit and back from injury has made training more competitive, which pushes everyone to play better. But it’s Ødegaard’s return that has had the most impact, as he’s been key to Arsenal’s recent success.
In the end, Arsenal’s win over Sporting was a massive statement. Ødegaard’s return was the spark they needed, and they’ll hope this performance is a sign of more good things to come.