Atletico Madrid’s Jose Gimenez didn’t hold back after his side’s 4-0 demolition at the hands of Arsenal, admitting the Gunners made it “impossible to play.”
The fiery defender confessed that Mikel Arteta’s men completely suffocated Atletico, pressing them to the brink and leaving them gasping for air. Arsenal’s high-energy performance not only shut down Atletico’s attack but exposed the Spanish side’s inability to handle relentless Premier League intensity.
“It was a controlled game, but we struggled to play because they press very well, they always play one-on-one, and we couldn’t find the connections,” Gimenez told Metro Sport. “We struggled to play, to get out of the back with the ball clean. Credit to them. We have to focus on ourselves and improve for what’s coming next. The goal came from a foul that wasn’t a foul.”
But excuses aside, Atletico were battered. Arsenal’s front line hunted like wolves, cutting off every escape route. The midfield, led by Rice and Ødegaard, tore through passing lanes, forcing mistakes and turnovers. By the second half, it was a red-and-white siege, and Atletico had no answer.
The Gunners’ ruthless pressing and organised chaos were too much for Simeone’s men. Every time Atletico tried to play out, Arsenal swarmed. Every time they hesitated, the ball was gone.
This wasn’t just a win, it was a statement. Arsenal aren’t just playing beautiful football anymore, they’re bullying Europe’s best.
If anyone doubted Arsenal’s evolution under Arteta, Gimenez’s words say it all: “We couldn’t find the connections.” Translation? Arsenal had them in a chokehold.
