FIGHT GAARD
Norway star says Arsenal can’t afjord to miss out on top four
MARTIN ODEGAARD is desperate for Arsenal to return to the Champions League to prove he belongs at Europe’s elite level.
Norway captain Odegaard, 23, has been a driving force in Arsenal’s push for the top four this season and the race could be decided in Thursday’s north London derby.
Odegaard did play a couple of Champions League games at Real Madrid, plus a qualifier, but believes he never got to show his true quality in it.
Now there is an even bigger prize at stake as Odegaard and Arsenal look to make Europe’s elite club competition, which would be a huge step forward for the Gunners revolution under manager Mikel Arteta (below).
Odegaard said: “I don’t feel like I’ve really played there. I really want to get into there and fight.
“That’s where the best teams want to be.”
Arsenal have not finished in the top four since 2016 and the prestige and extra revenue has been sorely missed at the Emirates. European football was always this season’s target but a place in the top four will be a bonus and could even speed up rebuilding plans.
A win at Tottenham would guarantee their place but the battle remains tight and the nerves have been there for all to see, with both north London rivals slipping up in recent weeks. The big
clash at the
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has extra spice after Arsenal got the original game postponed on the strength of just one Covid case in their camp. Spurs released a statement at the time, slamming their neighbours.
Arsenal struggled to get over the line against 10-man Leeds on Sunday (Eddie Nketiah celebrates his first of two goals, below) but Odegaard says, despite a young squad, they can handle the pressure.
“We have a young team but we have a lot of experience as well,” said Odegaard.
“We’ve been through a lot and we just enjoy playing football together. You can see that on the pitch. We enjoy it.
“It was a good win against Leeds, an important win. We know the situation we’re in so obviously we were very happy with the three points.
“Some parts of the game we have to do better, maybe we have to kill the game, but the points are all that matters.
“We know how they play and we know they’ll never give up. We always knew it was going to be a fight until the end. We have to win in different ways. Last time was not our best game, but we won. Against Leeds I think we played really good in some parts and other parts we had to fight.”
Odegaard’s form and leadership have earned him the armband in recent weeks, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang sold in January and Alexandre Lacazette left on the bench.
He is now favourite to get it on a permanent basis next season but says Emirates gaffer Arteta has not given him any hints.
He added: “He told me before the Southampton game that I was gonna wear it and that is all he’s said.”