Odegaard’s Euro mission after tiny taste of Champions League

MARTIN ODEGAARD is determined to fire Arsenal into the Champions League this week because he never got a true taste of the competition during his time at Real Madrid.

Arsenal are fourth in the Premier League, four points ahead of Tottenham in fifth, and they will qualify for the Champions League if they win Thursday’s north London derby.

Odegaard signed for Real Madrid as a teenager, but he went on to make just two Champions League appearances for them before joining Arsenal last summer.

“I’ve played there (the Champions League) a few games, but I don’t really feel like I’ve played there,” said Odegaard (right).

“I really want to get there and fight. It’s where the best teams want to be, of course, so that would be big for me and the club.

“We have a young team but we have a lot of experience as well. We’ve been through a lot and we just enjoy playing football together, and you can see that on the pitch.”

Arsenal put themselves within ithin touching distance of Champipions League qualification by beating Leeds 2-1 at home yesterday.

Eddie Nketiah scored twice inside the opening 10 minutes and, when Leeds defender Luke Ayling was sent nt off for a rash tackle on Gabriel Martinelli before the half-hour mark, it looked like Arsenal would run riot.

Leeds fought back, though, and Diego Llorente’s second-half strike set up a nervy finish at Emirates Stadium. Arsenal Ar dug in to secure their fourth fo successive victory after previously p losing three in a row.

“That’s all that matters, taking t the three points. We have h to win in different ways,” said sa Odegaard, who has captained i the team in recent weeks. “Last time [against West Ham] was not our best game, but we won. Today, I think we played really good in some parts and other parts we had to fight. But we got the three points and that’s the most important thing, so we’re happy.

“It was a good win, an important win. We know the situation we’re in, so we are very happy with the three points.

“Some parts of the game we have to do better and kill the game, but that’s all that matters today.

“We always knew it was going to be a fight until the end, but three points are all that matters.”