Arsenal produced their most impressive Champions League performance of the season on Tuesday evening as they hammered reigning Portuguese champions Sporting CP 5-1 in Lisbon.
The Gunners were relentless in their pursuit of victory at the Estadio Jose Alvalade and powered into a three-goal lead courtesy of an utterly dominant first-half effort from those in red and white.
Following a morale-boosting outing that has seen Arsenal shoot up the league phase table, here are some key talking points from their victory in Portugal.
1. Arsenal rise where Man City fell
At the beginning of November, Manchester City made headlines on their trip to Lisbon for all the wrong reasons. The reigning Premier League champions were overrun by the indefatigable Sporting and succumbed to a dismal 4-1 defeat.
2. The Martin Odegaard effect
If ever evidence was needed of how integral Martin Odegaard is to Arsenal, then Tuesday’s match provided it. Mikel Arteta’s side had looked a shadow of themselves in the Norwegian’s absence, struggling to break down stubborn low blocks and open up defences without their skipper’s ingenuity.
3. Bukayo Saka runs riot
There have never been any doubts over Bukayo Saka’s brilliance, with performances like Tuesday’s only strengthening his position as one of football’s most devastating forwards.
Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski scored twice – bringing up a century of competition goals in the process – to move out on his own as 2024/25 UEFA Champions League top scorer with seven goals.
Lewandowski was tied with Viktor Gyökeres, Harry Kane and Raphinha heading into Matchday 5, but is now two ahead of the chasing pack after racking up a double in Barcelona’s 3-0 defeat of Brest. The first of those two made him just the third player in UEFA Champions League history to register 100 goals in the competition proper.
Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski was pipped to the Man of the Match award in the club’s latest outing.
This comes despite the veteran frontman having found the net twice, to take his career Champions League tally beyond the century mark.
Barcelona were of course back in action a short time ago, welcoming French outfit Stade Brestois to Catalunya’s capital.
When all was said and done, after a pair of successive domestic outings without victory, Hansi Flick’s troops managed a bounce-back result, putting Brest to the sword by three goals to nil.
The aforementioned Robert Lewandowski was responsible for two of the hosts’ three goals on the night, either side of a further strike on the part of Dani Olmo.
The Pole, in turn, was no doubt considered by many to be a shoo-in for the Man of the Match award.
Matchday 5 of the UEFA Champions League pitted Barcelona against Ligue 1 side Brest at home as the Catalans aimed to move further up the table after their strong start to the season.
Their opponents, unbeaten in the competition before the game at offered little real resistance and allowed Hansi Flick’s side to control the proceedings.
The promptly took the lead just ten minutes into the game with Robert Lewandowski winning and scoring a penalty for the team.
In the period that followed, the Catalans earned chances galore but simply could not find the back of the net.
Dani Olmo eventually scored the team’s second goal with a wonderful finish in tight space, assuring the three points and providing a much-needed cushion.
Barça Universal brings you the player ratings from Barcelona 3-0 Brest.
Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhes appeared to send a pointed message to Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres after scoring a thumping header on the stroke of half time in the Champions League. Adding a third for his side before the break, Gabriel was quick to mark the goal.
Sprinting over to the side of the pitch, joined by his jubliant teammates, Gabriel raised his hands to his face, locking fingers across his eyes.
Sporting’s on-fire goal machine has made the celebration his own over the past year as he continues to make a case for being the hottest property No.9 on the market. Unlike Gabriel, who put his hands very much over the top of his face and covering his eyes, Gyokeres tends to do it over the bottom half and mouth area.
For Arsenal, Gabriel’s goal marked the end of a brilliant half. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz had already put Mikel Arteta’s side into a commanding position early on.
Arsenal produced their best European away display of Mikel Arteta’s reign as they secured a statement 5-1 victory over Sporting CP. It didn’t take long for the Gunners to open a lead as Gabriel Martinelli tapped home Jurrien Timber’s superb low cross.
Kai Havertz doubled the lead just after the 20 minute mark tapping home Bukayo Saka’s shot-cum-cross. Arsenal could have had more but finally added a third when Gabriel headed home Declan Rice’s corner on the stroke of half time.
Straight after the break though, Goncalo Inacio was able to pull one back for the hosts as he flicked home from a corner. For a while Arsenal were on the ropes but when Ousmane Diomande brought down Martin Odegaard in the box they had the chance to regain control. Saka made no mistake from the spot.
David Raya: Hardly anything to do in the first half. Worked much more often in the second period and stood up well to testing Sporting shots from distance. 7.
Jurrien Timber: His cross for Martinelli’s opener was simply sublime. Continued to get forward well after that and stuck to his defensive duties too. 8.
Barcelona will face Brest at Montjuic in a crucial match for their Champions League campaign. This game is part of the fifth round of the tournament.
A win is essential for Barcelona to remain in the top eight of their group, which would guarantee them a direct spot in the last 16 of the competition.
After their recent struggles in La Liga, including a loss to Real Sociedad and a disappointing draw against Celta, the team needs a strong performance to regain momentum.
Hansi Flick will have to manage without Lamine Yamal, who is still recovering from ankle problems.
Alejandro Balde will also miss out on the starting XI, as he has been ruled out by the coach. With these absences, Barcelona will be forced to adjust their starting lineup for this important match.
Defence
In goal, Inaki Pena will continue as the first-choice goalkeeper for Barcelona. Despite a recent shaky performance from some players, Pena has remained a reliable figure in the net.
David Raya has revealed his plan to stop Viktor Gyokeres ahead of Arsenal’s clash against Sporting. The Portuguese outfit will host the Gunners at the Jose Alvalade Stadium on Tuesday night as they both look to climb the Champions League table.
Gyokeres, who sees his contract expire in June 2028, has featured 11 times in the Primeira Liga this season, scoring 16 goals. Playing an important role in Ruben Amorim’s former side, the 26-year-old striker has fired Sporting to the top of the table.
He’s enjoyed a brilliant vein of form in the Champions League too, netting a hat-trick against Manchester City earlier this month to maintain Portuguese club’s unbeaten run. Unsurprisingly, Gyokeres has become one of the most coveted strikers in Europe – and Arsenal are well aware of his ability.
The Gunners goalkeeper was very complimentary of Gyokeres, meanwhile, Mikel Arteta remained coy. The Spaniard said: “I would like to talk about the team, about the coaches and how phenomenal they have been. The run they are in is incredible.
Barcelona are in a tough race with five European teams to secure the signature of Viktor Gyokeres, as per a recent report from Fichajes.
The Swedish striker, currently plying his trade at Sporting CP, has become one of the most talked-about players in European football.
At 26 years old, he has cemented his place as a prolific forward, drawing interest from several elite clubs, including Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Bayern Munich.
The most wanted striker
Gyokeres’ remarkable form this season has turned heads across the footballing world. His tally of 24 goals for Sporting CP highlights his capabilities as a top-tier striker.
While his release clause, reportedly nearing €100 million, presents a significant hurdle, it has not deterred some of the biggest names in football from keeping a close eye on him.
However, the player has made it clear that any potential transfer will not happen until next summer, adding another layer of anticipation to his future.
Barcelona, despite monitoring Gyokeres closely, may find themselves at a disadvantage due to their ongoing financial struggles. Meeting the Swedish striker’s release clause might prove too challenging for the Catalan club, potentially forcing them to back out of the race.
The race is intense
Atletico Madrid, after splashing significant sums on players like Julian Alvarez, could also face similar financial constraints, making their pursuit of Gyokeres less likely.
Manchester City and Bayern Munich, although interested, appear to be less inclined to secure Gyokeres’ services. With star forwards such as Erling Haaland and Harry Kane firmly established in their squads, these clubs might not prioritise adding another striker.
Pedri and Alejandro Balde will return to the Barcelona starting lineup in the UEFA Champions League clash with Brest on Tuesday.
Barcelona will aim to return to winning ways when they welcome Brest to Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Tuesday night. And Hansi Flick does not have any new injury concerns that are hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Lamine Yamal is the most notable absentee, with the Spanish international recovering from an ankle injury. The teenage sensation accompanies Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal, and Ansu Fati on the sidelines.
However, Eric Garcia and Ferran Torres are closing in on returning to action, although the duo might not be fit enough to take on Brest. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Flick spoke about Yamal and Alejandro Balde, among others.
The Barcelona manager said, “Balde had some muscle problems, so we thought he would rest. He’s better today, but I hope he’ll be an option for the matches after Brest. He won’t be available tomorrow. You know his quality. He gives us a lot more space. I think this could be the last game he misses. On Saturday he could be an option from the bench.”
Finally, the offensive trifecta should not see any changes, considering Yamal and Torres are not ready to take on Brest. So, Robert Lewandowski should lead the line for the home side, with Raphinha and Dani Olmo completing the numbers in the final third.
Predicted Barcelona XI: Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Balde; de Jong, Casado; Olmo, Pedri, Raphinha; Lewandowski
