Martin Odegaard says Arsenal ‘want to win everything’ after Community Shield success

CARDIFF – Martin Odegaard warned Arsenal’s rivals that the English Premier League champions want to “win everything” after starting their season by sweeping aside Manchester City in the Community Shield.

The Arsenal captain delivered a Man-of-the-Match performance capped by the final goal in his team’s dominant 3-0 victory in Cardiff on Aug 16.

Riccardo Calafiori netted the Gunners’ opener after just 24 seconds and Kai Havertz was also on the score sheet before half-time in the annual curtain-raiser to the English top-flight season.

Just four months ago, Odegaard lifted Arsenal’s first Premier League crown since 2004 after they finished seven points ahead of second-placed City.

The Norwegian believes the dynamic display against City, now managed by Enzo Maresca instead of Pep Guardiola, showed the north Londoners have not lost their hunger for silverware.

“We played some brilliant football. Great performance and a great way to start the season,” the 27-year-old midfielder said.

“We showed our level today. We showed we’re ready. We’re serious and we want to do it again. We want to attack it. We want to do it again.

“When you get a taste of how nice it is, you want to do it again. We want to win everything.”

Installed as the bookmakers’ favourites for a second successive title, Arsenal begin their title defence at home to newly promoted Coventry City on Aug 21.

‘Things to work on’

City open their bid for a first title since 2024 with a visit from Bournemouth on Aug 23, and Maresca admitted they have a lot to improve before then.

“We have many things to work on. The season’s just started, so there are many things we need to do better,” the 46-year-old said.

“The goal we conceded after 24 seconds unfortunately affected the game. Disappointed with that because in this kind of game the level is so similar that when you concede a goal, it then becomes difficult.”

Maresca endured the joint-heaviest defeat in a City manager’s first game in charge, tying a 4-1 loss for Harry Newbould’s side against Arsenal in 1906.

It was also Maresca’s joint-worst loss as a manager in England after a 3-0 defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion during his time with Chelsea in 2025.

Since the start of the 2023-24 season, City have won only two of their nine matches against Arsenal, showing the widening gap between them that Maresca must find a way to close.

“After the goal, the reaction was quite good. We had three or four chances to score and draw the game. Unfortunately, we conceded the second one and it became more complicated,” he said.

“From next Sunday, we start the Premier League and the focus has to be about that.”

He will most likely be without key midfielder Rodri, who has reportedly reached a deal to join Barcelona. Spain’s World Cup-winning captain will move for a fee of around €75 million (S$111 million), according to reports.

“In the coming days there will be a statement and (the transfer) will become official,” a Barcelona source told AFP on Aug 16.

The 30-year-old had been linked with Real Madrid after Spain’s victorious World Cup campaign, but Barcelona pushed to sign the former Atletico Madrid star, who has played a key part in City’s success since he joined in 2019.

Rodri, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2024, has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons, but was a vital figure for Guardiola at the English club, leading them to the 2023 Champions League and four Premier League titles among 12 major trophies.

The La Liga champions had two bids rejected for Rodri but eventually reached a deal with City on Aug 16, with the midfielder following Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi and Jesse Bisiwu to Camp Nou this summer. AFP