The key facts

  • Arsenal defeated Lille 3:0 with goals from Timber, Eze and Saka
  • Arteta rotated the squad, leaving Odegaard, Havertz and Saka on the bench initially
  • Galatasaray lost 1:4 to Barcelona

Arsenal – Lille 3:0
Goals: Timber, 64 (1:0). Eze, 67 (2:0). Saka, 71 (3:0)
Arsenal: Raya, Gabriel Magalhaes, Konsa, Lewis-Skelly, Timber (White, 78), Guimaraes, Rice, Merino (Odegaard, 65), Eze (Douman, 85), Madueke (Saka, 65), Yokeresh (Havertz, 65)
Lille: Berke Ozer, Ngoy, Alexandru, Perraud (Verdonk, 78), Goffi, Bentaleb (Kergor, 72), Andre, Mukau (Sahraoui, 72), Haraldsson, Bakwa (Diaoun, 82), Ueda (Giroud, 78)
Bookings: Merino, 29. Havertz, 90 – Goffi, 81

Given the congested schedule, Mikel Arteta is fielding a rotated lineup in Champions League group-stage matches: against Lille, players like Merino, Yokeresh and Eze were given a chance, while Odegaard, Havertz and Saka were left on the bench. The first half was remembered only for Ueda's disallowed goal. It became clear that the Japanese striker, who was first to reach the ball after Gabriel blocked a shot, was in an offside position when the shot was taken.

In the second half the Londoners demonstrated the difference in class: right-back Timber charged into the opponent's penalty area, moved like a true striker, threaded the ball between the defenders' legs and struck powerfully from an acute angle. Immediately afterwards, Arteta threw his main attacking finishers onto the pitch and the opponent was completely broken. First, Bukayo Saka set up Eze with a goal assist. Then, after a combination between Odegaard and Havertz, he appeared in the central striker position and sealed the final score – 3:0.

Nobody can stop Barcelona

Galatasaray – Barcelona 1:4
Goals: Batrakov, 28 (1:0). Joao Cancelo, 43 (1:1). Fermin Lopez, 50 (1:2). Gordon, 53 (1:3). Adeyemi, 65 (1:4)
Galatasaray: Ugurjan Chakir, Jacobs, Sanches, Eren Elmali, Barish Yilmaz (Sholloy, 67), Torreira (Nyaga, 81), Lemina (Sara, 58), Yunus Akgun (Ugochukwu, 58), Leau, Batrakov (Sane, 58), Osimhen
Barcelona: X. Garcia, Cubarsi, Martin, Joao Cancelo, E. Garcia (Kunde, 74), Pedri (Bernal, 74), Rodri, Fermin Lopez (Gavi, 82), Yamal, Gordon (Gabriel Jesus, 59), Olmo (Adeyemi, 59)
Bookings: Leau, 64. Sholloy, 86