Arsenal face Atletico Madrid in the latest round of Champions League action as Mikel Arteta squares off against Diego Simeone in north London.
The Gunners have made an impressive start to the season, sitting three points clear at the top of the Premier League – elevating themselves to title favourites – and have a pair of 2-0 victories in the Champions League to their name, downing Athletic Bilbao and Olympiacos.
The pressure is on Arteta to finally deliver another trophy after a series of near-misses over the past couple of seasons and he was complimentary of opposite number Simeone this week, saying he rates the Argentine “at the highest level.”
Simeone has been in charge in Madrid for 14 years now, delivering two LaLiga titles, a pair of Europa League crowns and a Copa del Rey in that time, although he lost two Champions League finals to city rivals Real Madrid. This season in Europe’s top-tier competition, Atleti suffered a narrow defeat to Liverpool before hammering Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1.
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Arsenal 0-0 Atletico Madrid
“Arsenal still haven’t conceded a shot on target in their last three games, but Atletico got very close to ending that, just as Alvarez got very close to a spectacular goal when he hit the bar.
“So far, he is looking rather more threatening than his Arsenal counterpart, Viktor Gyokeres.”
Arsenal 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Good save from Oblak!
Zubimendi dinks in a deft pass to Gyokeres in the box and the Arsenal striker gets a toe to the ball on the reach, but the Atletico goalkeeper smothers.
Engrossing start to the second-half…
CROSSBAR! Arsenal 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Julian Alvaraz hits the crossbar!
It’s a stunning strike from the Argentine, who curls a beauty towards the far corner after cutting in from the left-hand side, but it doesn’t quite dip enough.
Raya was beaten…
Arsenal 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Atletico defend the corner, again, very well.
Which manager will be the first to change things here?
Arsenal 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Jurrien Timber does brilliantly down the right-hand side and, out of nothing, wins a corner…
SECOND-HALF: Arsenal 0-0 Atletico Madrid
We’re back underway with the second-half at the Emirates!
No changes at the interval, despite all of Atletico’s substitutes undergoing a thorough warm-up at half-time. Antoine Griezmann and Conor Gallagher among them…
HALF-TIME: Arsenal 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Final action of the half sees Martinelli get on the end of a cross from Zubimendi, but he can only head over.
For a nil-nil, it’s been a decent game. Arsenal will be kicking themselves that they’ve not opened the scoring, with Eze going closest early on!
Alvaraz has had a few sights of goal for Atletico, who came into the match midway through the first-half.
Either way, it’s goalless at the break.
Arsenal 0-0 Atletico Madrid
We’ve seen him do it before… but not this time!
Julian Alvaraz goes for goal from a free-kick 30 yards out, but Raya sees the ball safely wide of the post.
One minute of added time.
Arsenal 0-0 Atletico Madrid
Martin Zubimendi is now in the book after a (harsh) foul on the right-hand side on Nicolas Gonzalez.
The Spaniard’s protests get him in the Italian referee’s book.
Zubimendi will miss Arsenal’s next Champions League game at Slavia Prague after his third yellow of the competition.
