Arteta praises Odegaard

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, whose English club finished as runners-up last season, praised Norwegian international captain Martin Odegaard for scoring the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over host Napoli. Odegaard began the 2026-2027 season in spectacular fashion, netting four goals in five matches, including the decisive winners against Chelsea (2-1) and Napoli. This marks a significant turnaround in the Arsenal captain’s attacking output, after he managed just one goal in 36 appearances across all competitions last season.

Speaking about the increase in the attacking midfielder’s goal threat, Arteta said: “First and foremost, he has been available to play, having missed many matches last season due to injuries. He has that sharpness, and he also has different relationships around him, which helps.” He added: “He can now occupy different positions within the team, especially in the attacking phase. When we place him in those roles, he becomes a very dangerous player.”

He continued: “What we need are players who possess the mentality capable of deciding a match. Players who play with that character, so that if one attempt doesn’t succeed, they keep trying in the next one and the one after that, continuing to exploit opportunities and take risks.”

Arteta concluded: “He has been reaching those positions more frequently in recent matches, and you can sense a mental state that makes him believe the ball can go into the net, and he scored a wonderful goal tonight.”