MADRID — Martin Odegaard stands on the cusp of immortality. Four and a half weeks from now, he could become the first Arsenal captain to lift the European Cup. That might be on the back of a first Premier League title in north London for 22 years. It would be enough to intimidate most.
Then again, for Odegaard, this is what the last five years have been building towards. If there has been a playing face of this club’s return to prominence at the highest level, well, it has been Bukayo Saka. But if we park Arsenal’s starboy for a moment, Odegaard represents this project as well as anyone. An outstanding young talent, recruited at great expense, still on the cusp of that moment where he etches his name into folklore.
“We’re in a great position to make history,” said Odegaard ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League semifinal first leg at Atletico Madrid. “That’s what we want to do.
“I’ve been in this club for a while now and I’ve seen the progression since the first game and how much we’ve improved and the steps we’ve taken. It’s been amazing to be a part of that and I’m sure we’re going to take that last step and do something really big and that’s the biggest goal, the biggest dream and that’s what we’re all working towards every single day.”
The question that hangs over both Arsenal and Odegaard is whether they are in the right place to do so. Now, of course, three points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League (having played a game more) and favorites to reach the Champions League final is not a bad spot to land in late April. It is just that the journey down has been rather bumpy.
Even the good moments have had their drawbacks. They might have ground out a 1-0 win over Newcastle but with injuries slowing their momentum, they put up shots worth just 0.49 expected goals (xG). In a home Premier League match, that is the lowest they have delivered since an October 2023 win over Manchester City.
The curious thing is that one of the key facets in bringing more oomph to Arsenal is finally back in the lineup. When they need him most, Odegaard is back and his team are yet to click.
Now, there are, of course, mitigating factors behind that. Odegaard had played a shade over two hours of football since late February when he took to the field at the Etihad Stadium, a match where he created twice the number of chances as anyone else on the pitch. The statistics liked the performance against Newcastle too, 0.2 of Arsenal’s 0.77 expected assists (xA). Those games reflect a broader trend of this season and last. For all the debate around the club captain, he does a lot of things on the pitch that make him pop on the bar charts.
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Only three players who have over 900 minutes to their name average more assists per 90 than Odegaard. Perhaps the reason that Arsenal have not delivered the sort of scoring volume usually associated with a Premier League champion is that they don’t have their leading chance creator, their primary ball progressor and their leader on and off the field.
Injuries have dogged Odegaard since he rolled an ankle playing for Norway in September 2024. Since the start of last season, he has started just 58 games. A tally of 5158 minutes sounds a lot but it is nearly 3000 fewer than William Saliba. Arsenal team mates rave about the leadership qualities of their captain — Eberechi Eze labelled him the best captain in the world recently — but he would rather lead from the front.
“It’s been frustrating to be away from the pitch. I love to be on the pitch, I love to play football, I want to play every single game.
“I’ve just tried to make the most out of it, be around the team as you said and help in any way I can. Obviously, it’s different when you’re not on the pitch, but I’ve tried to make the most out of it and I think I’ve done a good job to stay fit as well to come back in the best possible condition. I’m just happy to be back now and doing what I love and trying to help the team as much as possible on the pitch.”
He is not the only one who is frustrated. Perhaps the disappointment that some supporters express over Odegaard also reflects the exceptional standards he has set. In 2022-23, he provided 15 goals in all competitions; the following year, he hit double figures for goals and assists. In 2025-26 he has one goal and seven assists. When the output is that much lower, it is no wonder that what is highlighted are the passes that didn’t get played, the through ball that didn’t find a faltering Viktor Gyokeres. Asked about the noise around him and his teammates, Odegaard acknowledged that “it’s kind of impossible not to see things” and similarly did not deny that there is more the midfield can do to up the service to the frontline.
“There’s always something you can improve and it’s something we work on every single day,” he said, “how we can be as dangerous as possible, how we can create chances, score goals in many different ways.
“It’s definitely something we work on and for me personally as well, it’s kind of my job to see the players in front of me and just need to create a lot of those situations.”
How to watch Atletico Madrid vs. Arsenal, odds
- Date: Wednesday, April 30 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Metropolitano Stadium — Madrid
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds:
And of course, while there is always room for Odegaard to improve, it is worth reflecting on how much room for improvement there seems to be when Arsenal play without their captain. Any supporter who watched the team try to progress the ball through deep areas and break pressure in February and March will probably have spent some moments pleading for the return of their No. 8. That is to say nothing for the huge upswing in pressing quality that comes with Odegaard in the team.
Even if he is not the player he was, Arsenal need Odegaard. They are not perfect with him back in the team but perhaps the difficulties in the last few games reflect the inevitable nerves that come with being on the cusp of history. The dressing room leader wants to think differently. “It’s the best part of the season. Everyone is up for it, everyone is excited.
“We know what we played for and tomorrow is another great opportunity for us to do something special. We know what’s there and we just have to enjoy it and be ready for it.”
It was an attitude shared by Arteta, who vowed to deliver “a team that wants to be dominant, that wants to win it, and that wants to start to decide the tie tomorrow”. It is hard to think of a player whose skillset better suits that dominant style of play than the Arsenal captain.
