Odegaard’s message after Napoli: every Champions League point counts

Arsenal’s win at Napoli gave them the start they wanted in the Champions League league phase, but Martin Odegaard’s warning is that one result can quickly reshape the standings. The captain says Arsenal must treat every match as a chance to build momentum—and every point as important.

Writing in the programme for the Lille game, Odegaard called the Napoli victory “really strong”. He said Arsenal had to be patient and wait for their chance, and felt they deserved the three points. Odegaard scored the winning goal and was pleased with it, while adding: “I need to do it more often now.”

The new league-phase format is becoming more familiar after a couple of seasons, but that does not make the route through it predictable. Odegaard noted that the strongest teams are involved and said it is too early to know who will finish near the top. His sharper point was about the standings: “One result can make a big difference,” he wrote, with “a lot riding on every single game”.

That urgency comes after Arsenal had to fight back against Leeds following the international break. Odegaard said the team responded well after falling behind, began to take control and made a good move before Bruno scored the winner. He praised the character in the comeback, but did not present the performance as complete: “There are lots of areas to improve,” he wrote, calling for the team to learn and keep developing.

The contrast matters for Arsenal. The Napoli result offers a platform, while the Leeds comeback showed resilience; Odegaard’s view is that neither should distract from the need to improve. Arsenal are second in the Premier League with 15 points from six matches—five wins and one defeat—and a goal difference of plus five. Their next league match is away to Nottingham Forest on Sunday, October 18, at 16:30 BST.

For now, Lille is the immediate European test. Odegaard also described the return of Champions League nights at the Emirates as special, particularly hearing the anthem under the lights. But the atmosphere is only part of the occasion: his message is that Arsenal need to turn that energy into results, because the league-phase table can move with every game.