Simeone's recognition is a benchmark of Arsenal's class

Atletico managed to hold Arsenal only during the first 45 minutes before collapsing in the second half. Even Simeone had to "tip his hat" to Arsenal, which is an acknowledgment of Arsenal's current quality and level. Now, Arsenal can dream of winning the Champions League.

Simeone deeply respects Arteta

Before the match, Atlético complained about the lack of hot water in the locker room, forcing them to return to the hotel to shower. It's unclear whether Arsenal played "dirty," but we all know the London club has never resorted to such tactics against visitors. Outside the pitch, Atletico stars endured the cold physically, and on the field, they were truly "doused with cold water." The defeat exposed the gap in class between Arsenal and Atletico at this moment.

Having a coach respect a colleague is not uncommon. However, when it comes to achievements in the Champions League, although Atletico, like Arsenal, has never won the Champions League, their number of finals appearances far surpasses their opponent's. Throughout summer 2025, Arsenal made significant signings, and Atletico almost completely revamped their squad. But one thing Atletico lacks compared to Arsenal is the refinement; despite many new players joining Diego Simeone, they can't match Arsenal's precision. Arsenal's squad depth is currently rated among the best worldwide.

Right after the match, Atletico Madrid’s coach Diego Simeone admitted that Arsenal is now ahead of the Spanish club: “This is a learning process. We need to keep improving. I think we played very well from the start. From the 60th minute, they were the better team and deserved to win. I have to say they are the strongest team we have faced this season. They played excellently, never stopping running, and their quality was evident all over the pitch. Now, Atletico must overcome this defeat and focus on training to fix the weaknesses that exist.”

This statement reveals the utter helplessness of a team after enduring a grueling 90 minutes. Looking at the positive side, it proves a shift in power balance and football trends. Now, Arsenal possesses more refined and effective football. We all know Simeone rarely praises anyone or mocks opponents like Jose Mourinho. When Simeone compliments, it’s genuine. Under Simeone, Atletico was known for tough play, fighting spirit, and incredible resilience. But at Emirates, they could only "survive" for 45 minutes before being "torn apart" by Arsenal. Overall, Arsenal dominated in duels, aerial battles, and pressing intensity.

Simeone’s Atletico in London stuck to solid defense and quick counter-attacks when possible. However, Arsenal elevated that style to a new level. More precisely, Arsenal "ripped apart" Atletico in the second half with 4 goals scored in just 13 minutes. The opening goal came from an Arsenal trademark set piece. Did you know? The Gunners scored those 4 goals from only 8 shots and controlled the ball just 53%, seemingly outplayed by Atletico players running all over the pitch. Yet, statistics show 4 of the 5 players who covered the most distance were from Arsenal, led by an outstanding Declan Rice as usual.

"Set pieces" are Arsenal's magical tactics

After just 11 matches in the Premier League and Champions League, Arsenal scored 12 goals from set pieces, setting a record as the fastest team in European elite football history to reach double digits in this type of goal. Facing Arsenal, many teams are truly helpless against their super effective set-piece routines.

At Emirates, Simeone, despite foreseeing and planning, still couldn't stop Arsenal. For example, at the 57th minute, from a set piece, Declan Rice delivered a cross for defender Gabriel to powerfully head the opener, leaving Jan Oblak no chance. At the 70th minute, from Rice's corner, Gabriel headed again to assist Viktor Gyokeres scoring the final 4-0 goal. Simeone has surely reviewed Arsenal's set-piece organization repeatedly, but even after two years, very few teams have managed to neutralize the "trick" from the London club.

This truly is a formidable "weapon" for the team under coach Mikel Arteta. Even Jamie Carragher — former Liverpool player — though unhappy that his team is falling behind Arsenal, couldn’t hide his amazement at Arsenal’s strength in set-piece situations: “I am a Liverpool fan, and you all know how much I love and support the club. Every time Arsenal gets a corner, I just hold my head and almost know what will happen. I have never seen anything like this in football. Right now, the entire football world feels that whenever Arsenal has a corner or free kick, they will score.”

MU fears it, Atletico dreads it... but that’s not all. Surely, many more clubs will struggle against Arsenal’s "set-piece" tactics in the future. But believe me, Arsenal is not limited to just that. With a squad capable of competing on two important fronts, diverse playing styles, and stars who have found connection, this will be the foundation for Arsenal to dream of their first-ever Champions League trophy.

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