De Bruyne’s assessment of Arsenal
Kevin De Bruyne has described Arsenal as the “best team in the world” following their recent Champions League match against his Napoli side. The statement came after Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory in Italy, marking a strong start to their Champions League campaign. Captain Martin Odegaard scored the decisive goal.
De Bruyne’s comments were made to a CBS Sports reporter after the match. When asked if Arsenal might be the best team globally, De Bruyne reportedly agreed with the assessment. He acknowledged Arsenal’s status as the champions of England and noted their appearance in the previous Champions League final, where they lost on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain.
Despite the loss, De Bruyne felt his Napoli team delivered a good performance against an opponent of Arsenal’s caliber. He observed moments where Napoli created chances when attempting to play their game. He also noted that his team had to defend deeply at times, particularly in the second half, which led to Arsenal creating numerous opportunities.
De Bruyne viewed the match as an improvement for Napoli compared to their earlier season games. He expressed that his team is beginning to play better, which he considered a positive development. This encounter was De Bruyne’s first start of the campaign, having previously made only three substitute appearances in Serie A this season.
Arteta and Rice reflect on the match
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, expressed his delight with his team’s performance, particularly given the challenging environment in Naples. He praised the team’s approach to the game, highlighting their competitive spirit, hunger to dominate, and the quality they displayed against a team that is typically difficult to create chances against. Arteta noted that Arsenal generated a significant number of chances, suggesting that the final score did not fully reflect their dominance on the pitch.
Arteta also had a friendly exchange with De Bruyne after the final whistle. He spoke highly of De Bruyne, calling him one of his favorite players and one of the best midfielders ever. Arteta mentioned having had the opportunity to train and work with De Bruyne for nearly four years, and he continues to enjoy watching him play.
Declan Rice, an Arsenal midfielder, also commented on facing De Bruyne. Rice, who has extensive experience playing against De Bruyne in the Premier League, acknowledged that De Bruyne still posed problems for Arsenal during the match despite their win. Rice described De Bruyne as a very smart player who effectively moves into good spaces. He expressed that it was “nice” to compete against his former rival once again.
Arsenal’s victory over Napoli extended their perfect start to the season to five matches. This win in the Champions League follows their success in the Premier League last season, which they won for the first time since 2004. The team appears poised to compete strongly in both domestic and European competitions again this season.
The match saw Arsenal register 26 shots compared to Napoli’s five, with an expected goals (xG) figure of 4.05, indicating their attacking prowess. Despite their numerous opportunities, Arsenal’s finishing was noted as a factor that prevented a larger margin of victory. Odegaard’s goal ultimately secured the three points for Arteta’s side on Wednesday evening.
Source: goal.com
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