Spanish media have reacted to Arsenal’s defeat at Manchester City ahead of the club’s tie with Atletico Madrid this month
Spanish media have argued that Atletico Madrid could capitalise on Arsenal’s slump in form and end their Champions League dream. The two clubs are set to meet in the semi-finals and Diego Simeone’s side have been backed to add to the Gunners’ woes.
Arsenal saw their lead at the top of the Premier League halved to three points in their 2-1 defeat to title rivals Manchester City on Sunday. The huge showdown handed the initiative to City, who could move level on points with a win over Burnley on Wednesday.
Moreover, the result marked Arsenal’s fourth defeat in six games across all competitions. The Champions League quarter-final legs against Sporting CP proved to be the outlier, with their hard-fought 1-0 aggregate victory resulting in a semi-final clash with Atletico.
While Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta works on galvanising his team for the title run-in, Atletico’s primary aim is reaching the Champions League final and the club will be encouraged by the Gunners’ drop-off. COPE pundit Guille Uzquiano has argued that Arsenal are showing signs of decline at a vital point in the season.
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“I don’t think this City side is reminiscent of those from Guardiola’s best years, but they are certainly in better form than Arsenal,” Uzquiano said on Tiempo de Juego. “They are regressing as the season goes on.”
While the discussion centred on the club’s Premier League title hopes, the analyst acknowledged how the situation could also impact their Champions League campaign. Uzquiano described Arteta’s side as being “an opponent within Atlético Madrid’s reach right now”.
Returning to the title race, the pundit insisted that City “look like the better team and are already within striking distance”. Meanwhile, Uzquiano shared his expectations for Arsenal’s last five games of the season: “I find it hard to see them winning all their remaining matches.”
Spanish outlet ABC recently kept a close eye on Arsenal as the club set up their semi-final clash with Atletico. The match report summarised a “disappointing” performance from Arteta’s team after drawing 0-0 with Sporting CP.
The Gunners struggled for control in the early stages. The Spanish publication wrote that Arsenal were “at the mercy of the Portuguese side” on several occasions during the first half.
Arteta’s side were judged as attempting to win the tie with “more determination than skill, lacking their usual clarity of play”. While there were some signs of improvement from the Gunners, the second 45 minutes was largely a “carbon copy” of the first as the opposition “remained a constant threat”.
Spanish media suggesting that Atletico have reasons to be confident against Arsenal piles even more pressure on Arteta and his squad. The Spanish side are looking to reach the final for the first time since 2016 after overcoming Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate in the last round.
Arsenal’s immediate focus will be on their upcoming home match against Newcastle this weekend. The first leg of the Atletico tie is scheduled to begin in Madrid on Wednesday, April 29, as both clubs aim to win the competition for the first time.
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