%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli reflects on CL debut – ‘Couldn’t be better!’
By Adam Schultz
Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli scored on his Champions League debut in the 2-1 win over Sevilla, and he couldn’t be happier.
Gabriel Martinelli was playing in his first Champions League game against Sevilla, and he played a major role in Mikel Arteta’s side claiming a valuable three points.
The 2-1 win now moves Arsenal to the top of Group B after three games with consecutive home matches to come in the competition.
For Martinelli, who scored after being sent through on goal by Gabriel Jesus after a sublime turn and pass, his Champions League debut couldn’t have gone better.
"“It couldn’t be better,” Martinelli said via arsenal.com. “I think we played really well, I scored and the team won so couldn’t be better. I’m so happy with the performance of the team.”"
Martinelli’s debut, while great at the end of the day, could have started in a blaze of glory had he converted his early chance.
The young Brazilian was faced with a one-on-one with Sevilla keeper Orjan Nyland with less than 10 minutes played in the first half. But the winger hit his shot straight at Nyland before the ball bounced off him and out for a goal kick.
Champions league debut goal and a win 🤩 From dreams to reality 💫 pic.twitter.com/nHrEbphS0j
— Gabriel Martinelli (@gabimartinelli) October 24, 2023
Not to be deterred, though, the next time Martinelli was through on goal, he was assisted by a delicious pass from Gabriel Jesus, as he then rounded Nyland with ease before rolling the ball into an empty net on the stroke of halftime.
"“Big Gabi made the clearance to the other Gabi, and then he was amazing with a nice skill and played it to me,” Martinelli said. “I just waited for the keeper, looked at him, and I thought I couldn’t miss it again. It was good I scored!“The guy [Jesus] is unbelievable, I’ve said it many times, he is so good and I love to play with him.”"
With the win, Arsenal now sits atop Group B, and while fans can be happy now, had the result been different, the Gunners would have had a serious hole to climb out of if they wanted to qualify for the knockout rounds.
But alas, through Martinelli and Jesus, Arsenal escaped with the three points as they look ahead now to winless Sheffield United at the Emirates on Saturday.