Martin Odegaard struck the decisive goal as Arsenal opened their Champions League campaign with a 1-0 victory at Napoli on Wednesday, marking the latest chapter in the Norwegian captain's remarkable revival this season.
The 27-year-old midfielder's stunning left-foot strike 15 minutes from time secured Arsenal's win and took his tally to four goals in five appearances across all competitions this season — a stark contrast to his injury-plagued 2025/26 campaign when he managed just one goal in 36 games.
Odegaard's winner against Napoli came just days after he scored the clinching goal in Arsenal's Premier League victory over Chelsea on Sunday. The transformation has been dramatic for a player who was restricted to only 24 Premier League matches last season as Arsenal finally lifted their first title in 24 years.
Fitness and Positioning Behind Resurgence
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta attributes Odegaard's impressive form to improved fitness and tactical adjustments that have seen the captain take up more advanced positions on the pitch.
"First of all, he needs to be available, and last year he missed so much," Arteta explained after the Napoli victory. Odegaard was troubled by knee and shoulder injuries throughout the previous campaign, limiting his impact as Arsenal pursued their double ambitions.
The Norwegian showed signs of recovery during Norway's World Cup quarter-final run, where they lost to England, but has moved to an entirely different level in the opening phase of this season. His stats are up across a range of attacking metrics compared to his reduced output last term.
Arsenal's Championship Ambitions
Arsenal came within one game of achieving the dream double of Premier League and Champions League last season, losing to Paris St-Germain on penalties in the Champions League final even with Odegaard's brilliance diminished by his fitness issues.
If Arsenal could win the Premier League title and reach the Champions League final with their captain in reduced circumstances, the early-season evidence suggests they could achieve even more with Odegaard operating at peak performance levels.
The victory over Napoli demonstrated Arsenal's ability to find solutions in difficult moments. Despite dominating the Italian side throughout the match, it still required Odegaard's moment of quality to break the deadlock and secure the three points that got their European campaign off to the perfect start.
With Odegaard already stamping his authority so significantly both domestically and in Europe, Arsenal appear well-positioned to build on last season's success and potentially go one better in their pursuit of major silverware.
