Martin Odegaard reflects on perfect Champions League outing as Arenal crush Dinamo Zagreb
Credit: Arsenal Facebook
Martin Odegaard rounded off Arsenal’s commanding 3-0 victory over Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League with a late goal, capping off a stellar night for both himself and the team.
The captain’s strike in the 91st minute, assisted by Leandro Trossard, marked his first goal since November, bringing an end to his brief goal drought.
Speaking after the match, Odegaard expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance and his relief at finding the back of the net. “I’m really happy,” he said. “It was a strong performance—3-0 at home—and we’ve put ourselves in a good position now in the Champions League to be in the top eight, so really happy.”
Reflecting on the challenge posed by Dinamo Zagreb, Odegaard acknowledged their defensive approach but praised Arsenal’s persistence. “We expected them to defend low and try to take the speed out of the game. We got the early goal, but after that, the game slowed down a bit, and they did well to do that. We could have done better in some areas of the game, but in the end, we got three goals and a solid controlled win.”
The captain was particularly pleased to end his goal drought, saying: “It was nice to get [a goal]. I’ve been waiting for it. I had a lot of chances that I missed. Today I was in the right area, I attacked the box, and I got the goal, so it was nice.”
Arsenal’s fifth win in seven league-phase matches has placed them in a strong position to advance directly to the last 16 of the competition, bypassing the play-off round.
A draw in their upcoming match against Girona will guarantee a top-eight finish, allowing the team to enjoy some much-needed respite in the packed fixture schedule.
Odegaard is optimistic about the team’s chances but remains focused. “That was the goal. With the new format, you didn’t know how many points you needed and all that. That’s been the key thing—to just take it game by game and make sure we’re there. That’s what we want, so we’re happy and it’s looking good, but we have to finish the job.”
