Kevin De Bruyne’s Arsenal claim after UCL clash has got fans talking
Former Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has praised Arsenal’s quality after Napoli were beaten 1-0 by Mikel Arteta’s side in their Champions League opener.
Kevin De Bruyne has given Arsenal a major compliment after Napoli suffered a narrow Champions League defeat to Mikel Arteta’s side, with the Belgian midfielder acknowledging the enormous quality of the team standing in his way.
Arsenal began their European campaign with a 1-0 victory at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Wednesday, although the scoreline did little to reflect their dominance.
Martin Ødegaard eventually settled the contest in the 75th minute with a superb low strike after Arsenal had repeatedly threatened the Napoli goal.
The visitors finished with 26 attempts and created several excellent opportunities before their captain finally broke the deadlock, continuing his impressive start to the season.
De Bruyne recognized Arsenal’s quality
De Bruyne, who joined Napoli after leaving Manchester City, admitted Arsenal’s status as reigning Premier League champions and last season’s Champions League runners-up underlined just how difficult the assignment was.
The midfielder felt Napoli had some positive moments but acknowledged that Arteta’s team forced them into long periods of defensive work.
Arsenal’s defensive organisation was equally important, with Napoli struggling to create clear openings as the visitors controlled the second half.
The result also extended Arsenal’s strong European run after they won all eight of their league-phase matches last season before losing the final to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties.
Ødegaard leads Arsenal charge
Ødegaard was once again Arsenal’s match-winner, producing another influential display to continue his excellent form.
The Norwegian has now scored four goals in his last five matches, while his overall contribution has become increasingly important to Arteta’s attacking plans.
Arsenal could have won by a wider margin, but the narrow victory nevertheless provides another encouraging sign of their ability to control difficult away matches.
De Bruyne’s comments has got people talking about the Gunners, who has already won all five games this season as they seek to defend their Premier League title and go one better in the Champions League.
With Arteta’s side already showing resilience, defensive strength and greater attacking confidence, De Bruyne’s assessment reflects the growing belief that Arsenal have the quality to challenge seriously for major honours on both domestic and European fronts this season.
