Despite claiming a 1-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed concerns about his team's fatigue levels following their recent loss to Bournemouth in the Premier League. The Gunners' own goal win came from a strike by Gabriel Martinelli, and missed penalty at the end from Leandro Trossard. This was Arsenal's first game since the Champions League quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich in April.
Arsenal's Narrow Victory Over Shakhtar Donetsk Raises Concerns Amidst Fatigue
Despite a hard-fought 1-0 victory over FC Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has raised concerns regarding his team's fitness levels. The win, secured by a Gabriel Martinelli strike, comes on the heels of Arsenal's disappointing loss to Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Background
The match against Shakhtar Donetsk marked Arsenal's return to European competition after a disappointing exit from the Champions League quarterfinals in April. The Gunners had high hopes for the game, aiming to redeem themselves after their loss to Bayern Munich.
However, Arteta admitted that his players were still feeling the effects of their recent Premier League defeat. "We looked really tired," Arteta said after the match. "We had a lot of difficulty just to press and sustain it, to make the right decisions on the ball."
The Game
Despite their fatigue, Arsenal managed to claim a narrow victory. Martinelli's goal in the second half proved to be the difference-maker. However, the Gunners also missed a penalty late in the game, leaving Arteta with mixed feelings.
"We have to be critical of ourselves," Arteta said. "We should have won by a bigger margin. We had big chances and created a lot. But again, there were moments in the game where we just looked exhausted."
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