Saka must reward his teammates for scoring in the Champions League

Striker Gabriel Martinelli jokingly suggested that Bukayo Saka should treat him to dinner for his assist in the 2-0 win against Sevilla in the Champions League.

"I told Saka he would have to pay for dinner," Martinelli said, smiling broadly after the win at the Emirates Stadium. "I'm very happy with the win and Saka's goal. It's great to play at home with these passionate fans, and we will do our best to win for them."

Saka was named Man of the Match by UEFA, contributing to both of Arsenal's goals. In the 29th minute, following a through ball from Jorginho, the English midfielder delivered a one-touch cross for Leandro Trossard to strike with his right foot to open the scoring. In the second half, receiving a pass from Martinelli, Saka sprinted into the penalty area, dribbled past Pedrosa, and curled a powerful left-footed shot into the far corner, sealing the 2-0 victory.

Saka scored to make it 2-0 in Arsenal's victory over Sevilla in the fourth round of the Champions League at the Emirates Stadium on November 8th. Photo: Guardian — Saka scored to make it 2-0 in Arsenal's victory over Sevilla in the fourth round of the Champions League at the Emirates Stadium on November 8th. Photo: *Guardian*

Thanks to this situation, Saka became the first Arsenal player to both score and assist in two consecutive home Champions League matches since Cesc Fabregas against Sevilla and Slavia Prague in the 2007-2008 season. Prior to that, the English player contributed a goal and an assist for Trossard's goal in the opening match win against PSV, which ended 4-0.

Martinelli also had a brilliant game, constantly disrupting Sevilla's left flank. The Brazilian forward touched the ball 70 times, completed 85% of his passes with two key passes, successfully dribbled past opponents nine times – the highest number in the match – and delivered 12 crosses, before being substituted for Reiss Nelson in the 81st minute.

"Whenever I receive the ball, I always try to dribble one-on-one with the opposing defender," Martinelli explained. "This is something I enjoy doing, and the whole team knows it. When you successfully dribble once, twice, or three times, you gain more confidence, and that's what happened today."

Martinelli dribbles past a Sevilla defender during Arsenal's 2-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium on November 8th. Photo: Guardian — Martinelli dribbles past a Sevilla defender during Arsenal's 2-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium on November 8th. Photo: *Guardian*

Meanwhile, Declan Rice believes Arsenal played well, securing three crucial points to move closer to qualifying for the Champions League knockout stage. The English midfielder also appreciated Mikel Arteta's criticism of the referee after the defeat to Newcastle, saying it reflected the passion and character of the Spanish manager.

"After being knocked out of the League Cup and losing to Newcastle, for a club like Arsenal, we can't afford to lose three games in a row," Rice emphasized. "Arteta made that clear before the game and asked us to show a high-energy performance to get back to winning ways."

When asked whether he preferred playing as a number 6 or a number 8, Rice replied: "I think my best position is number 6, the deepest in midfield. My strengths are receiving the ball from the back, distributing it, and breaking up defenders. The number 8 position requires me to dribble, make runs into the box, and be more creative, which isn't my forte. But I'm also willing to play in that position to further develop my skills."

Hong Duy

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