Club Brugge 0-3 Arsenal: Noni Madueke scores twice as Gunners make it six wins from six in Champions League

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·10 de diciembre de 2025

Club Brugge 0-3 Arsenal: Noni Madueke scores twice as Gunners make it six wins from six in Champions League

Gunners bounce back from weekend defeat to maintain perfect Champions League record

Arsenal made it six wins from six in this season’s Champions League with a comfortable victory over Club Brugge on Wednesday night.

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Noni Madueke was the hero for the Gunners, following up his goal in the 3-1 win over Bayern Munich a fortnight ago with a brace, while Gabriel Martinelli kept up his remarkable goalscoring record in the competition.

The result sees the north London outfit restore their three-point lead at the top of the 36-team Champions League group as they take a giant step towards confirming automatic qualification for the knockout stages.

Seeking to bounce back from Saturday’s loss to Aston Villa in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta made five changes to the side that started at Villa Park.

Most notably Christian Norgaard was handed a rare start, but in central defence with Jurrien Timber the latest Arsenal defender to be struck down by injury.

In the end it was a satisfying night at the Jan Breydelstadion for the under-strength Gunners as Gabriel Jesus was handed a first run-out in almost a year as a second-half substitute.

Madueke got matters going with a thunderous strike in the 25th minute, collecting possession on the halfway line and swiftly weaving his way up field before unleashing a powerful effort that flew into the top corner.

The home side went close to an equaliser in the 39th minute, when some swift passing saw Aleksandar Stankovic curl a shot narrowly wide, and continued to probe up to halftime with David Raya making two key saves, from Christos Tzolis and Stankovic.

But that momentum looked to have been left in the changing room at halftime as they were caught two minutes into the second half when Madueke headed home his second.

A cross from the left from Martin Zubimendi found Madueke unmarked at the back post with the home defence caught ball watching and hopelessly out of position.

Nine minutes later, Martinelli added the third, cutting in off the left wing and hammering a right-footed shot into the net for a fifth goal in as many Champions League appearances this season, having missed one of Arsenal's matches.

Jesus struck the crossbar in the 79th minute, inches away from a dream return after his lengthy layoff due to a knee injury and Arsenal still had time to give 16-year-old Marli Salmon a debut at right back in the last seven minutes.

Brugge went into the match in some turmoil after Monday's surprise sacking of coach Nicky Hayen, with his replacement, Ivan Leko, in charge on his return for a second spell at the club.