Article by Andrei Niculescu – Published Wednesday, January 21, 2026, 2:32 p.m. / Updated Wednesday, January 21, 2026, 2:32 p.m.
The match in Milan was over and one of the players left for the “flash” interviews was By Marco. “At least you tried,” was the question that had no question mark in it, more of an observation. The Italian's answer doesn't even matter anymore, because the way the question was posed, without any blunder by the reporter, showed exactly what the expectations were before this Inter – Arsenal from Tuesday evening. Inter had to try Arsenal instead he had an obligation to win. Which is what happened.
“Job done”, as the people on “Emirates” would say. Arsenal meant strength, personality, character, value, those ingredients that lead to the position they occupy in the Champions League and Premier League. Plus a safety that comes from an excellent state of mind. Plus a batch that allowed Arteta to make a first “11” with the thought of the points at stake, but also for the match against United at the weekend, because United looked good against City and you never know.
Arteta had Gabriel, Rice, Gyokeres, Odegaard, Madueke, Martinelli, Kai Havertz, White among others on the bench for this match. Some got in, some didn't.
Cristi Chivu had much fewer options, and it showed, as Arsenal's reserves made the difference, while Inter's only gave hope.
The case of this Pio Esposito, the “child” of Cristi Chivu, the great gift that the Romanian gives to Italy for today and for the future, but which will soon become a small problem for the “nerazzurri”, because there is a big fight among the handshake clubs in Europe for these children.
At first glance, Inter-Arsenal meant a dispute between 1st place in Serie A and 1st place in the Premier League. This thing would have been useful to the Italians 30 years ago, but today it represents nothing more than a propaganda poster.
Even if Inter reached the final of the Champions League twice in 3 years, the differences between the two championships are huge and everything starts from money, from the economy, from the reporting of the two countries in the global landscape.
Arsenal will probably score maximum points at the end of this first phase, and that's no coincidence. Obviously, the “gunners” would like to have this position at the end of May in both competitions they manage, obviously the titles are not given in the winter, obviously the example of Liverpool, which last year at this time was fixed in the same situation, is as fresh as possible, but the reality of this January finale is that we can hardly find a more solid and in-form team than Arsenal.
You're going to call me Bayern, which is somewhat correct, except that the Bundesliga is nothing but a training ground for the Bavarians (71 goals in 18 games, seriously! It's downright barbaric) and so far the only direct duel between the two has been won by Arsenal. Which will benefit from now on in the Champions League of one great advantage: will play all the return matches from the elimination phase at home, this being the big news brought by UEFA compared to last season.
Patience from London
But there is a line of discussion that arises from the reality of these days. If you want, even an example. Mikel Arteta. It's already been 6 years since he won a major trophy. The FA Cup taken in the year of the pandemic, 2020, because I would not consider the two super cups of 2020 and 2023 in this category.
Between us, the FA Cup is not a major trophy either, they know very well what those are for a club that has invested hundreds and hundreds of millions during this whole period. However, Arteta is still in the chair and has built this team today. With money, lots of money, learning from mistakes and bayonet fights with Manchester City, overcoming depressions and bringing forward only the ambition to move on. And patiently. Extremely patient. Unusually patient.
Chivu: “Premier League, crazy!”
Arteta could be a great example for Marotta and his men in the Inter management. The Basque was more of a nobody when he was anointed main at Arsenal. As a player he had won nothing, as a coach not so much, because he had only been Guardiola's assistant for a while. The way in which Arsenal have been patient with him, especially when he was vehemently demanded to land in the early years, but also after the two seasons lost against City, should be studied and taken as a starting point in various analyses.
Chivu today is not in the situation of Arteta from 2019, there are many extra elements for the Romanian, Tomorrow's Chivu could be over Arteta if he gets his hands on the “scudetto” at the end of the season. And Chivu the day after tomorrow could be the element that makes the difference in who knows what duels where the accounting balance is a huge handicap. If we only keep track of the lost matches, which exist, nothing to say and only against strong rivals, we can fall into a trap. And possibly lose our temper. Which, here, at Arsenal, with Arteta, was not the case.
PS1
Real Madrid needed, after everything that happened in the last 10 days, including the win against Levante, an opponent who could give them a quiet evening. And, possibly, a reconciliation with the “Bernabeu” fans. Who whistled at the beginning, but who applauded at the end. To the delight of Arbeloa, who knows, because he said so, who is behind this campaign orchestrated against the president Florentino Perez, that “Ser Superior” who offered him this chance, to be the coach of the most titled team in current football. monaco was just the thing, an excellent diuretic for the nausea of the last few days.
After this 6-1, with a Vinicius goal included, plus assists from the Brazilian, Arbeloa got even more color in his cheeks, because such a difference, in the Champions League, had not been seen even during Ancelotti's time. “I need Vinicius and Mbappe fresh on the pitch, not concerned with taking care of opposing defenders,” said the new Madrid coach, a further jab at Xabi Alonso, who I knew was his best friend, and which highlighted the need for everyone on the pitch to obey a tactical plan. Luis Enrique or Guardiola probably don't agree with this idea of Arbeloa, but it matters less, basically neither of them have any chance to sit on the Real Madrid bench.
PS 2
Speaking of Luis Enrique and Guardiola. Both were, on Tuesday, much weaker than Arbeloa. In the sense that they took a beating from much lower rated opponents. City went to the Arctic Circle and froze with Bodo Glimt, although the temperature was really spring-like compared to the minus 12 degrees in Kazakhstan, which is in Europe of course. A match in which it was clearly seen why Pep put his hand in his pocket to bring another central defender.
As for PSG, the setback to Sporting Lisbon was as faithful a copy as possible of Barcelona's defeat in San Sebastian on Sunday. As in the case of the Catalans, it is difficult to characterize as bad the game of the Parisians, who clearly dominated in all chapters. Less one, the most important in the end, that of the balls put in the goal.
