"With all respect, last season we were looking [at the bench] and we had five academy players there, that probably never played professional football in the Champions League, so it makes a difference. Today we decided to change six players because I want everybody to really be involved and feel part of it, and it was great. We had the feeling as well that physically we were dropping because we played a really intense match in Newcastle a few days ago. The ones that came in again, they lifted the level, and they helped us to win the game, and that's great."
"I'm very happy, winning in the Champions League is always very complicated. We started really well, got the goal, a lot of threats and two or three big chances, but when you don't put them away in this competition you have to be careful. We had to make an incredible save to deny them a goal which you need in this competition as well."
Arsenal rotated six players for the Champions League group-stage win over Olympiacos, with Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka among the substitutes. Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring in the 12th minute and David Raya produced a crucial save to deny Daniel Podence an equaliser. Bukayo Saka came off the bench to score two minutes into stoppage time and seal a 2-0 victory. Rotation was used to manage physical fatigue after an intense match at Newcastle, and the fresh players lifted the team's level. Last season Arsenal reached the semifinals before losing to Paris Saint-Germain.
Read at ESPN.com
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