Mikel Arteta Hails Ethan Nwaneri's Performance in Arsenal's Win Over Girona

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri's performance in their 2-1 win over Girona, securing a spot in the Champions League last 16. Arteta remained tight-lipped on David Raya's injury.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was full of praise for 17-year-old midfielder Ethan Nwaneri, who played a crucial role in the team's 2-1 win over Girona in the Champions League. The victory secured Arsenal's spot in the round of 16, and Nwaneri's 42nd-minute winner at the Estadi Montilivi was a highlight of the match.

Composed ✅
Calm ✅
Confident in his ability ✅

Mikel Arteta heaps praise on 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri, who scored the winner for Arsenal and was awarded Player of the Match 🌟

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK | 🎙 @PhilKitro pic.twitter.com/N9cFvKWQGK

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 29, 2025

Nwaneri, who joined Arsenal's academy at the age of eight, has been impressive since Bukayo Saka's hamstring injury in late December. Arteta praised Nwaneri's confidence and initiative on the pitch, saying: “That's what we love about him, he's willing to take the initiative to make things happen. He's very aggressive when he's got the ball and so confident, because before that he had another action, a very similar one, he made the right choice, he went for it.”

💬 "To come here and win Player of the Match on my starting debut, it's a special feeling. I'm happy."

Ethan Nwaneri reflects on scoring his first Champions League goal 📺

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 29, 2025

Arteta also highlighted Nwaneri's exceptional finishing skills, stating: “He has the capacity to finish from every angle basically and it was a very important goal. It's very natural for him, you can see the way he takes the touches, how he beats people and then the technique he's got, he's so precise in his finishing, put him a lot of times in that situation and the outcome will be good.” Nwaneri's impressive performance was all the more notable given that it was his first start in the Champions League.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was cautious when discussing the injury to first-choice goalkeeper David Raya, who missed the match against Girona. Brazilian Neto made his debut for the North London side in Raya's absence, but Arteta chose not to elaborate on the Spain international's condition.

Star in the making.

The UEFA Champions League Player of the Match: Ethan Nwaneri 👏 pic.twitter.com/icBKPNMlMU

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 29, 2025

When asked about Raya's injury, Arteta simply stated: “He (Raya) certainly could not play, he's injured and that's it. Let's see how it goes.” The Arsenal manager's response left many questions unanswered, fueling speculation about the severity of Raya's injury.

Four wins in a row for Arsenal 💪

They secure 3rd place ✅#UCL pic.twitter.com/82wtWTIse4

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 29, 2025

Arsenal will now shift their focus to their upcoming Premier League match against Manchester City on Sunday. Arteta's side is currently second in the Premier League, trailing leaders Liverpool by six points, having played one more game. The match against Manchester City will be a crucial test for Arsenal's title aspirations.