Kevin De Bruyne hailed Arsenal as ‘the best team in the world’ after Mikel Arteta’s side beat Napoli in the Champions League.
The Gunners produced another impressive performance in their Champions League opener in Italy on Wednesday night and looked a level above Serie A giants Napoli.
Despite their dominance, it looked as though Arsenal’s wastefulness in front of goal would cost them the three points until Martin Odegaard scored a 75th-minute winner.
Arsenal clinched their first Premier League title since 2004 last season while reaching the Champions League final, which they lost on penalties to PSG.
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Arteta’s side look primed to challenge on both fronts again this season after the win over Napoli extended their perfect start to the campaign to five matches.
While disappointed not to get anything out of the game, De Bruyne felt Napoli ‘did a good job’ in their European opener given the quality of Arsenal.
‘Let’s talk about the match,’ a CBS Sports reporter said to De Bruyne after the match. ‘It seems to me that Napoli did a really good game but your opponent is maybe the best team in the world right now?’
Manchester City legend De Bruyne responded: ‘I agree, they are the champions of England and they lost the last Champions League final on penalties so we know how strong they are.
‘I think we actually did a good job, when we tried to play we had some moments where we created, of course we had to stay low sometimes and in the second half we gave them a little bit too much, we were too deep.
‘But after that we had moments again, it’s an improvement for me from what I saw in the first few games. We’re starting to play better so that’s a good thing.’
Arteta was full of praise for his team after a hard-fought win in Naples, telling reporters: ‘I’m very, very happy.
‘A really tough place to come and a really different environment to play football – a beautiful one, by the way – against a really good team.
‘I love the way we attacked the game, the way we competed, the hunger that we showed, the desire to dominate, to come here, to own the pitch, and the quality that we showed against a team that it’s so difficult to create chances against.
‘We created a huge amount of them and the result doesn’t reflect what we saw on the pitch.
‘The players were immense, and to play with that personality, with that conviction and with that quality in the Champions League away from home, it’s something that I’m extremely pleased about.’
Declan Rice, meanwhile, singled out Odegaard for special praise after his hot streak continued against Napoli.
‘He’s always had the ability – just last year, he was so unlucky with his injuries – so unlucky to have two shoulder injuries, an MCL, knee issues,’ Rice said.
‘But when a player like that is fit and has that quality to play, he can shine in any team and for us he’s so important.
‘For him to score three goals in the season so far, it’s massive for him but also unreal for us, because when he’s at the top of his game he makes us a better team.
‘So let’s keep making him feel confident, giving him the ball and letting him do what he does best.’
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