Arteta Hails 'Massive Step' as Arsenal Dominate Dinamo Zagreb

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal have taken a 'massive step' towards the Champions League last 16 after their 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb.

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal took a significant step towards securing a spot in the Champions League last 16 with a convincing 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday. The victory, courtesy of goals from Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Martin Odegaard, leaves Arsenal third in the Champions League standings and on the cusp of automatic qualification for the knockout stage.

Arteta's side now requires just a point from their upcoming trip to Girona to guarantee a top-eight finish and a spot in the last 16. Even a defeat is unlikely to knock Arsenal into the knockout stage play-offs, given their three-point lead and superior goal difference over the teams immediately below eighth place. With qualification within their grasp, Arteta is already contemplating a warm-weather training camp for his squad during the play-off period.

Our fifth Champions League win of the group stage ✨ pic.twitter.com/MpaQDS9cX0

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 22, 2025

“If we earn the right to do that, it would be great,” Arteta said when asked about the potential for a winter getaway. He acknowledged the grueling schedule his team has faced, saying, “Obviously it has been a super-busy schedule, a lot of demands and with things that have happened, even more demands, especially on the players. If we can achieve that it would be great.” A sunshine break would be a well-deserved reward for Arsenal's players, who have performed admirably in the Champions League thus far.

💬 “Credit goes to the boys and we go again on Saturday.”

Hear from the boss after tonight’s crucial win 🗣️

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 23, 2025

Arsenal's win over Dinamo Zagreb was never in doubt, thanks to Rice's early opener just 106 seconds into the game. The goal, assisted by Havertz, set the tone for a dominant performance by the Gunners. With their fifth win from seven league phase games, Arsenal are now poised to secure a spot in the last 16 and make the most of their winter break.

Kai Havertz's 66th-minute header and Martin Odegaard's clinical finish in stoppage time sealed a 3-0 win for Arsenal over Dinamo Zagreb, marking only their second victory in six games across all competitions. Manager Mikel Arteta was thrilled with the result, saying, “This is a massive step forward. It puts us in a really strong position before we play Girona.” He added, “We scored three goals and dominated the game and another clean-sheet at home. Overall very happy.”

Arteta acknowledged that Arsenal are now in a favorable position to advance, but emphasized the importance of winning their upcoming game against Girona. “We are in a really good position. A lot of things have to happen for us not to make it. But still we have to try to win the game in Girona,” he said. A win or draw against Girona would secure Arsenal's spot in the Champions League last 16.

Declan Rice's early goal was a highlight of the game, and Arteta revealed that he had encouraged the England midfielder to get into attacking positions more often. Rice has only three goals this season, but Arteta believes he has the potential to go on a scoring streak. “His intent, his purpose, especially the attacking positions he is taking. How he is striking the ball,” Arteta said. “In the last few weeks he had some big chances to score. We need to affect the game from that position.”

Arteta expressed his confidence in Rice's ability to score more goals, saying, “The more consistent he is in those positions, with the quality he has, he will score goals.” He also praised Rice's overall performance, noting that he has played a lot of football in the last two years. “You can see when he is fresh he is a big player for us,” Arteta said.

Meanwhile, Kai Havertz has been finding his form, reaching 14 goals in all competitions 22 games faster than he did last season. Arteta has been supportive of the German striker, who has faced criticism and even death threats following his penalty shoot-out miss against Manchester United. “That is a good stat. What does it tell you? It shows the perception against the reality,” Arteta said, highlighting the disparity between Havertz's actual performance and the public's perception of him.