Former Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves has praised Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard following his standout display in the Gunners’ Champions League victory over Olympiakos on Wednesday night.
Arsenal made it two wins from two in the group stage with goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka at the Emirates Stadium. Odegaard, who has struggled with injuries this season and faced increased competition for midfield roles after the arrivals of Martin Zubimendi and Eberechi Eze, looked back to his best.
“In the first half he was the best player on the pitch by a country mile,” Hargreaves told TNT Sports. “He was at his absolute best. He left no questions that he’s still the star player at the moment. That’s probably as good as Odegaard can play. When he plays like that, he’s just a joy to watch. The goal is all him, really.”
Odegaard later joined the TNT Sports panel to reflect on both the performance and the result, with Hargreaves continuing his praise.
“Martin, we were talking about your performance, especially in the first half. This ball is ridiculous by the way. You played a few balls in the first half that were just silly. You played like a surgeon, it was so precise. It was you at your absolute best.”
The Norwegian playmaker, 25, responded: “It was nice to be back. I have missed it and I felt good, and it was a good win…”
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