Arsenal delivered a record-breaking performance in the UEFA Champions League, thrashing PSV Eindhoven 7-1 in the first leg of their last-16 tie. This victory made them the first team ever to score seven goals in an away Champions League knockout match.

The emphatic win, which took place on Tuesday 4 March 2025, also marked Arsenal’s highest-scoring game since their 7-3 triumph over Newcastle United in the Premier League 13 years ago.

The Gunners put on an attacking masterclass. Club captain Martin Ødegaard led the charge with two goals, while Jurrien Timber, Mikel Merino, Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard, and Riccardo Calafiori also found the back of the net.

“We were fluid, we had enthusiasm, hunger,” said Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice after the game. “We feel we’ve been playing well all season but sometimes we win by six, sometimes by one or two, sometimes we lose by one.” Rice also praised 17-year-old Nwaneri, calling him a player who is “shining on the biggest stage there is in football.”

Manager Mikel Arteta expressed his delight with the team’s response after back-to-back goalless performances in the Premier League. “So happy for the boys, after not scoring and all the noise around them,” Arteta said. “I sent them out [in the second half] to score a fourth goal, then the game will be over. Momentum can shift, and you don’t want to put yourself in that position.”

PSV manager Peter Bosz admitted the result was both “painful” and “humiliating” for his side. “Not winning against Arsenal is possible, they are missing four attackers, yet it is a great team and we did not play well,” he said in a post-match press conference.

The dominant victory all but secures Arsenal’s place in the Champions League quarter-finals, where they are set to face the winner of the tie between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid. With the second leg set for next week, Arteta’s side can begin preparing for a potential showdown in Spain.