Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Club Brugge: Spectacular Goal Lights Up the Night

A brace from Noni Madueke propelled Arsenal to maintain their flawless Champions League campaign as they cruised to a commanding 3–0 triumph over Club Brugge on Wednesday evening.

Despite fielding a heavily rotated squad due to injuries, Arsenal took control by halftime thanks to a spectacular individual effort from Madueke, who fired home the opener with a thunderous strike from outside the box.

The summer signing doubled his tally just two minutes into the second half with a tap-in from close quarters, before Gabriel Martinelli added his name to the scoresheet as well. The Brazilian winger maintained his impressive continental form by curling in a sublime effort to seal the victory well before the final whistle.

This triumph keeps Arsenal at the summit of the league phase standings as the year concludes and virtually guarantees their direct qualification to the knockout rounds.

Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Club Brugge (4-3-3)

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: David Raya—8.6: Handled several straightforward stops in the opening period and stepped up when called upon after halftime. Displayed commanding authority between the posts.

RB: Ben White—6.8: Similar to his Villa performance, White provided consistent attacking support down the right flank while backing up the energetic Madueke. Faced minimal defensive pressure.

CB: Christian Nørgaard—7.6: An unexpected selection at center-back during Arsenal's defensive shortage, yet handled Club Brugge's crafty forwards with confidence.

CB: Piero Hincapié—7.9: Nearly found his maiden Arsenal strike as two excellent opportunities fell to him in the first period. Initially struggled against Nicolò Tresoldi but settled into the game effectively.

LB: Myles Lewis-Skelly—7.9: Ex-Wolves loanee Carlos Forbs posed some early challenges in the first half, but seldom troubled him following the interval.

CM: Martin Ødegaard—7.4: While not the Norwegian's most dominant performance, he still delivered quality distribution and maintained rhythm in midfield. Saw considerable possession and rarely misplaced his passes.

CM: Martín Zubimendi—9.1: Officially recorded two assists, though the opener was more about Madueke's brilliance than his basic pass. His second contribution was a delightful delivery, demonstrating his offensive capabilities alongside defensive prowess.

CM: Mikel Merino—6.9: Returned to his natural midfield position and delivered a steady but unremarkable showing. Outshone by his Spanish teammate.

RW: Noni Madueke—9.0: Deputized for Bukayo Saka and delivered a spectacular opener to give Arsenal the advantage. Added a second goal in what proved an outstanding performance, bringing constant energy and danger whenever he touched the ball.

ST: Viktor Gyökeres—6.3: The Swedish striker hoped for a morale-boosting performance but instead experienced a subdued evening with minimal impact. Substituted shortly after the hour mark.

LW: Gabriel Martinelli—8.3: Sparked into action after the break and netted a stunning strike to extend his remarkable European run. Showed courage in possession and consistently threatened behind the opposing fullback.

Subs not used: Kepa Arrizabalaga (GK), Tommy Setford (GK), Josh Nichols, Louie Copley, Eberechi Eze.

Club Brugge (4-2-3-1)

Starting XI: Dani van den Heuvel; Hugo Siquet, Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Joaquin Seys; Aleksandar Stanković, Raphael Onyedika; Carlos Forbs, Hans Vanaken, Christos Tzolis; Nicolò Tresoldi.

Subs used: Kaye Furo, Bjorn Meijer, Hugo Vetlesen, Kyriani Sabbe, Mamadou Diakhon.

Player of the Match: Martín Zubimendi

Club Brugge 0–3 Arsenal: How It Unfolded at the Jan Breydel Stadium

Arsenal were eager to bounce back from their disappointing finish at Villa Park as Mikel Arteta implemented five personnel changes for the Belgian encounter. These modifications barely affected their performance quality, with the Gunners controlling the match and hitting the frame midway through the opening half when Piero Hincapié deflected Myles Lewis-Skelly's attempt onto the upright.

Arsenal's breakthrough arrived shortly after through a moment of individual brilliance from Madueke. The England winger muscled past Joaquin Seys, drove toward the penalty box and unleashed a fierce shot from 20 yards that clipped the crossbar's underside before nestling in the top corner.

Hincapié threatened again minutes later with a header cleared from the goal line, but Club Brugge gained momentum in the first half's closing stages. Several opportunities arose as Arsenal preserved their clean sheet, with Aleksandar Stanković's curling effort narrowly missing David Raya's goal before testing the Spanish keeper's reflexes moments later.

Any Belgian resurgence was quickly extinguished after the interval as Arsenal promptly extended their advantage. Martín Zubimendi's cross to the back post presented Madueke with the easiest of finishes as the home defense switched off, allowing the former Chelsea player to nod into an unguarded net from point-blank range.

Not to be overshadowed by his teammate's earlier masterpiece, Martinelli produced his own moment of magic to effectively end the contest. A fortunate deflection fell to the Brazilian as he drifted inside toward the penalty area's edge, proceeding to curl a perfect shot into the top corner for his fifth consecutive Champions League strike.

Gabriel Jesus, making his first appearance in nearly twelve months, almost marked his return with a goal as his effort struck the crossbar, while Ethan Nwaneri came close to adding a fourth during injury time. However, Arsenal had already secured the victory with another impressive clean sheet performance.

Club Brugge vs. Arsenal Half Time Stats

Club Brugge vs. Arsenal Full Time Stats