Mikel Arteta may have just witnessed the perfect turnaround, despite Arsenal’s 2024/25 season appearing to be heading for a disappointing end. Ahead of their Champions League round of 16 first leg against PSV on Tuesday, the Gunners had struggled to find the net, failing to score in three of their last four matches and seemingly losing their chances of winning two trophies.
Last month, Arsenal were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle United and dropped crucial points in the Premier League title race, suffering a defeat to West Ham United and drawing with Nottingham Forest.
With the gap to the league leaders now at 13 points, Arteta and his squad might shift their full attention to the Champions League. Their journey to the knockout stages began with a visit to the Netherlands to face PSV, and they delivered a statement performance.
Despite their recent goal-scoring struggles, Arsenal secured a dominant 7-1 victory, with Jurrien Timber, Ethan Nwaneri, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Leandro Trossard, and Riccardo Calafiori all finding the net, while Noa Lang scored PSV’s only goal.
Given their poor form and key injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, few expected such a convincing result. “No, I didn’t expect seven goals,” Arteta admitted, though he had jokingly suggested otherwise before the match.
“That’s the beauty of football—you can never predict what will happen or who will score,” he continued. “When things go well, you stay humble, keep your head down, and focus on improving. The next game will be completely different, and nobody can script it.”
Although Arsenal still have the second leg to play, they are now in a strong position to reach the quarter-finals, where they could meet either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid.
PSV will visit the Emirates for the return leg next Wednesday, just four days after Arsenal’s crucial Premier League trip to Manchester United. Following that, Arsenal face three more league games, including home clashes against Chelsea and Fulham, as well as an away fixture against Everton.
A potential Champions League quarter-final could align with the return of Saka and Martinelli. Both players have been sidelined with hamstring injuries, but their comebacks could provide a timely boost for Arteta.
While it hasn’t been explicitly stated, winning the Champions League may now be Arsenal’s main target, and the club might consider bringing Saka and Martinelli back sooner rather than later. However, since Saka has been out for several months, his return will likely be managed carefully.
On the other hand, Martinelli—who has missed less time—could be fit to start the first leg at home during the week of April 7. Meanwhile, Saka’s return may be more realistic for the second leg at the Bernabeu, after gaining several weeks of full training.
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