In anticipation of the eagerly awaited Champions League match between Porto and Arsenal, FC Porto’s goalkeeper, Diogo Costa, expressed admiration for Arsenal’s standout talent, Martin Odegaard.
Despite Arsenal’s recent dominant form in the Premier League, Costa highlighted Odegaard’s brilliance on the pitch as a key factor in their success.
Arsenal’s remarkable winning streak, with an aggregate score of 21-2 in their last five Premier League outings, has been spearheaded by the exceptional performances of Martin Odegaard.
The 25-year-old Norwegian international has solidified his position as a pivotal player for Arsenal, delivering an impressive 15 goals and eight assists in the previous Premier League season.
This season, Odegaard continues to shine with seven goals and eight assists across all competitions, consistently elevating his game.
Porto’s goalkeeper, Diogo Costa, acknowledged Odegaard’s excellence and expressed a level of fear when facing him on the field.
Costa recognized Odegaard as the only player he is apprehensive about facing and jokingly expressed a hope that Arsenal’s manager, Arteta, benches him for no reason.
While praising Odegaard, Costa emphasized the collective strength of Arsenal as a team, stating that although Odegaard is an excellent player, he cannot single-handedly dictate the outcome of the match.
Costa underlined the importance of focusing on the entire Arsenal team rather than fixating on one player.
Despite Porto’s recent struggles in the Portuguese top-flight, where they secured just one win in their last three matches, Costa highlighted the distinct nature of Champions League encounters.
The unpredictability of such fixtures underscores the need for Arsenal to be in peak form, especially as they face Porto at the Estádio do Dragão.
As the pivotal Champions League match approaches, much attention will be directed towards Martin Odegaard.
Positioned in the number 10 role, Odegaard is seen as the key player who can unlock Porto’s defense and potentially tip the scales in favor of Arsenal.
Should Odegaard replicate his recent stellar performances, he could emerge as the decisive factor in the upcoming clash.
