Bukayo Saka has insisted Arsenal’s Champions League job isn’t done despite the Gunners moving up to third with two League Phase games remaining.
LONDON, ENGLAND: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal scores his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Arsenal FC and AS Monaco at Emirates Stadium on December 11, 2024. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Arsenal’s win over AS Monaco on Wednesday was an important one, emphasised by the fact the two teams began the day separated by just one position in the Champions League table and ended it 13 places apart.
The Gunners are now up to third, but they’re just one point ahead of the nearest team outside the top-eight, Borussia Dortmund in ninth.
So whilst Bukayo Saka was pleased to secure another Champions League victory, he insisted after the game that the team still have work to do in their final two fixtures.
LONDON, ENGLAND: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal applauds the fans after the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Arsenal FC and AS Monaco at Emirates Stadium on December 11, 2024. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
“It does take a lot of pressure off our shoulders (to go up to third in the table), but at the same time, the job’s not done,” Saka said. “We still have to win the last two games to finish as high as possible.
“We’ll be ready when it comes, but obviously now we have to focus on the Premier League again.”
At the very least, Arsenal’s position in the knockouts is effectively secure. It would take an incredibly improbable set of results for the Gunners to drop to 25th, including (but certainly not limited to) Stuttgart and City beating PSG, Dinamo beating AC Milan, PSV beating Liverpool, Club Brugge beating Juventus, and Benfica beating Barcelona.
As for a top-eight finish, it’s really in Arsenal’s hands.
LONDON, ENGLAND: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal scores his team's second goal whilst under pressure from Mohammed Salisu of AS Monaco as Radoslaw Majecki of AS Monaco fails to make a save during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Arsenal FC and AS Monaco at Emirates Stadium on December 11, 2024. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Opta simulations suggest 13 points will effectively never be enough for a top-eight finish. 16 points (one more win for Arsenal) gives them an 87% chance, 17 points (a win and a draw) gives them a 99% chance, and 19 points (two wins) would make it a certainty.
Arsenal face GNK Dinamo at the Emirates Stadium next, before playing 30th-place Girona away from home in the final game. Two fixtures the Gunners have to be looking to win.
But as Saka mentions, there’s a bit of a break until those final matches. Arsenal’s next Champions League fixture is on January 22nd, with plenty of Premier League, League Cup, and FA Cup ties to come before then.
Related Posts