Arsenal player ratings vs Napoli: Odegaard 9, delivers the points in defensive masterclass

Arsenal began their Champions League campaign with a hard-fought victory over Napoli, with Martin Odegaard producing the decisive moment after a frustrating spell of missed opportunities.

Mikel Arteta’s rotated side lacked fluency at times, but the defence remained strong enough to withstand Napoli’s counter-attacking threat. Here is how the Arsenal players rated:

David Raya – 7/10

Made several important early saves and recovered well after spilling Hojlund’s effort, with Ben White quickly clearing the danger.

Ben White – 6/10

Looked uncertain with some of his passing but reacted quickly to clear after Raya’s mistake. Had a good chance himself but failed to test Meret.

Ezri Konsa – 8/10

Excellent on his Champions League debut for Arsenal. Defended confidently throughout and produced a crucial challenge to deny Santos a clear scoring opportunity.

Gabriel – 8/10

Another commanding display from the Brazilian, who read Napoli’s attacks superbly and repeatedly stepped in with well-timed challenges.

Piero Hincapie – 7/10

Worked hard defensively and produced an important late challenge. His biggest blemish was a remarkable miss from close range.

Declan Rice – 6/10

Not at his influential best and showed frustration as Arsenal wasted chances, but remained disciplined and reliable when defending.

Mikel Merino – 6/10

Missed Arsenal’s clearest early opportunity with a header straight at Meret. Struggled to make an impact and faded as the game progressed.

Martin Odegaard – 9/10

The standout performer. Created chances with his passing before producing a superb long-range strike that finally broke Napoli’s resistance.

Bukayo Saka – 7/10

Had two excellent chances to open the scoring but failed to keep either effort on target. His overall influence was below his usual level.

Viktor Gyokeres – 6/10

Provided a stronger physical presence and linked play better than in previous appearances, but was too often isolated around the Napoli penalty area.

Eberechi Eze – 5/10

Found it difficult to influence proceedings, with his attempts regularly blocked or missing the target as Napoli kept him quiet.

Substitutes

Bruno Guimaraes – 6/10

Added energy in midfield and helped Arsenal move the ball through Napoli’s defensive lines after replacing one of the starters.

Christos Tzolis – 6/10

Missed badly with a volley but played a key role in the goal by finding Odegaard and later saw another effort cleared off the line.

Kai Havertz – 7/10

Made a positive impact after coming on and should have finished with an assist after putting Madueke through on goal.

Noni Madueke – 3/10

Had a golden opportunity to put the result beyond doubt but squandered a one-on-one chance when Arsenal needed greater composure.

Martin Zubimendi – N/A

Introduced late in the contest as Arsenal focused on managing the final stages and protecting their narrow advantage.