We completed third within the Champions League desk to safe a spot within the last-16 because of a comeback victory in opposition to Girona.

All of the targets got here within the first half, and Arnaut Danjuma gave the hosts a shock lead in opposition to the run of play, however we turned issues round with two targets in 4 minutes because of a Jorginho penalty and a nice Ethan Nwaneri effort.

Raheem Sterling missed a penalty deep into second-half stoppage-time, however sufficient had been carried out to safe our sixth win from eight matches within the competitors this time period to complete solely behind Liverpool and Barcelona, and permit us the possibility to observe what occurs within the play-off spherical subsequent month from afar.

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Highlights: Girona 1-2 Arsenal

Danjuma does the injury

Searching for a fourth successive Champions League win for the primary time since 2005, we started in dominant style. Sterling curled an early effort simply over from the sting of the field earlier than a teasing Nwaneri cross discovered Leandro Trossard in area, however the well-placed Belgian stabbed the ball the unsuitable aspect of the publish.

It regarded as if the breakthrough had arrived on 11 minutes when Riccardo Calafiori latched onto a Sterling cross and cooly slotted previous goalkeeper Pau Lopez however our defender was denied the possibility to attain in successive video games by an offside flag.

In accordance with the official stats, 43% of the sport was performed within the Girona defensive third within the opening 25 minutes – and but by 28 minutes the already-eliminated hosts in some way discovered a strategy to get in entrance.

From centre-back, Juanpe threaded an ideal cross into the trail of Danjuma who had slipped behind Thomas Partey, and with Neto stranded 25 yards from his purpose, the previous Bournemouth and Tottenham winger whipped a first-time effort round our debutant and into the online to present the house crowd hope that they may declare only a second European win of their historical past.

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Arteta on good evening as we attain last-16

Two earlier than the break

It was a lead Girona scarcely deserved, however we didn’t let it deter us and inside 10 minutes we discovered our means again degree once more through the penalty spot. Partey wriggled his means into the world and was despatched to the turf by a slipshod Arnau Martinez problem, so Jorginho grabbed the ball and tucked it previous Lopez to register his second Gunners purpose – each from 12 yards.

After which 4 minutes earlier than half-time, a bit of magic from Nwaneri obtained us again into the altering rooms with the lead.

The 17-year-old picked the ball up from Trossard contained in the Girona field, and dribbled again out of it to edge right into a extra central place. When he obtained the sight of purpose he desired, he let rip and blasted an unstoppable shot previous the helpless Lopez to develop into the second teen English scorer of a Champions League purpose after Jude Bellingham.

It might have been even higher on the break as Trossard was despatched scuttling into the field by Martin Odegaard and from a good angle thrashed an try off the highest of the crossbar.

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Nwaneri: “The second I’ve lived for my complete life”

VAR to the rescue

The restart noticed no let-up by way of our attacking risk. Lopez prevented Alejandro Frances being credited with a weird personal purpose after a cross looped off him and in direction of the purpose, Gabriel and Timber each got here near scoring from corners and Nwaneri once more let fly from the sting of the world and noticed his shot skid simply large.

However having misplaced by a single purpose to Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and AC Milan by a single purpose through the league part, the La Liga outfit as soon as once more proved that they had been powerful to shake off, and simply as the sport gave the impression to be really fizzling out, they might discover the online once more.

A swift counter-attack noticed Girona’s all-time main scorer Cristhian Stuani tuck the ball away to spark celebrations within the stands, however VAR intervened and located the veteran hitman to have strayed offside and we got a reprieve.

As the sport moved into stoppage-time, we had the possibility to seal the factors when Frances dealt with the ball contained in the field, and Sterling was given the possibility to attain from the spot, however Lopez guessed the best means and pushed the try across the publish, however the injury had already been carried out as we secured consecutive away wins within the competitors for the primary time since December 2016.

FACTS AND STATS

Arsenal have progressed from the group stage/league part in every of their final 16 seasons within the UEFA Champions League, final failing to succeed in the knockout rounds (when showing within the competitors) in 2002-03.

Girona have misplaced 16 video games in all competitions this season with solely Southampton (20) dropping extra amongst large 5 European league sides in 2024-25.

Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri (17y 314d) turned the second youngest Englishman to attain a UEFA Champions League purpose after Jude Bellingham (17y 289d – Borussia Dortmund v Manchester Metropolis in April 2021).

Excluding shootouts, all 9 of Jorginho’s targets within the UEFA Champions League have been penalties, essentially the most targets a participant has scored within the competitors’s historical past with 100% of them coming from the penalty spot.

Arnaut Danjuma’s opener for Girona (32.19 yards) was the longest-range purpose Arsenal have conceded within the UEFA Champions League since Cristiano Ronaldo’s strike for Manchester United in Might 2009 (34.6 yards). It was additionally the primary purpose the Gunners have conceded from open play within the competitors this season.

Neto turned the fourth totally different goalkeeper to seem for Arsenal this season (additionally Raya, Setford & Porter), the primary time the Gunners have used as many ‘keepers in a single season since 2020-21 (Leno, Martínez, Rúnarsson & Ryan).

What’s subsequent

We host Manchester Metropolis in an enormous Premier League conflict on Sunday at Emirates Stadium, earlier than we head to St James’ Park to attempt to overturn a 2-0 deficit in opposition to Newcastle United within the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg. We then have a 10-day hole earlier than we’re subsequent in league motion once we head to Leicester Metropolis.