Arsenal’s last Champions League group match towards Girona on Wednesday affords the Gunners an opportunity to safe their place within the final 16 with minimal drama. A draw on the Montilivi Stadium will assure development, whereas even a defeat would require an unlikely collection of outcomes to disclaim them a top-eight end. Mikel Arteta’s facet can head into this conflict with confidence, realizing their destiny is firmly of their palms.
Arteta’s males head to Spain on the again of a powerful 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb of their final European outing, marking a membership first with three consecutive Champions League victories by at the least three objectives. This consistency has been underpinned by defensive solidity, with Arsenal but to concede from open play within the competitors this season. Arteta hailed his group’s self-discipline, , “We’ve been higher this season – extra constant and centered. We all know how troublesome it’s to win within the Champions League.”
The Gunners additionally confirmed grit of their current 1-0 Premier League win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, regardless of being diminished to 10 males after Myles Lewis-Skelly’s controversial pink card. Nonetheless, that call was overturned on attraction, a consequence Arteta celebrated. “I’m clearly very comfortable,” he remarked. “It’s a constructive end result for Myles and the group.”
Whereas Arsenal put together for a match with clear stakes, Girona are enjoying solely for satisfaction, having already been eradicated from the competitors. Final season’s La Liga overachievers have struggled in Europe, dropping six of their seven matches, together with a slender 1-0 defeat to AC Milan final outing. Their sole victory got here towards Slovan Bratislava, and they’re susceptible to setting an undesirable file as the primary big-five league facet to lose 5 consecutive Champions League matches with out scoring.
Girona’s home kind has additionally taken a success, with a 2-1 loss to Rayo Vallecano on the weekend leaving them eighth in La Liga. Balancing league and European commitments has proved difficult for Michel’s facet, who will look to salvage some dignity of their last group-stage outing.
Arteta dismissed the thought of taking this sport calmly, saying, “We’re right here to win. Girona are a robust facet, and their Champions League video games have proven they’ll make life troublesome for anybody.” With knockout qualification on the road, Arsenal are anticipated to area a robust lineup and proceed their push for silverware on a number of fronts.
