Arsenal's impressive pressure overwhelms Napoli in Champions League

Arsenal secured a 1‑0 victory over Napoli in the Champions League, yet the English champions were criticised for a performance that fell short of their own standards. The Gunners mustered an Imponujący 26 shots, eight on target, and posted a club‑record 4.05 expected‑goals figure.

The breakthrough arrived after the 75th minute when Martin Odegaard found the net, giving Arsenal the decisive lead. Supporters of the visitors had to endure a long period without a lead until that moment.

Shot volume and expected goals

"Skomentuj Arsenal pokonał 1:0 Napoli w meczu Ligi Mistrzów," read the post‑match headline, underscoring the rarity of such a result. Zespół Mikela Artety oddał aż 26 strzałów, of which eight were on target, and achieved an xG of 4.05 – the highest ever recorded by the club in this competition. No side travelling to Napoli away since the 2016/17 season has produced comparable figures.

Manager's reaction

After the game, Mikel Arteta stressed the scale of the advantage. "I am very happy with the way we attacked from the first minute, how we competed and how clearly we knew how to dismantle them. The result should have been much higher," he said.

Arsenal recorded their fourth clean sheet in five official matches this season, extending a run of 13 consecutive group‑stage victories in the Champions League. The defensive solidity has become a hallmark of the Mistrzowie Anglii.

In the previous edition of the tournament, the Gunners fell at the final hurdle, losing to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties. The memory of that disappointment adds pressure to convert dominant displays into trophies.