skip to main content

Gunners too good for Inter Milan with Champions League top-two place secure

Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres (l) celebrates scoring their side's third goal
Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres (l) celebrates scoring their side's third goal

Arsenal maintained their perfect run in the Champions League with a 3-1 win over Inter Milan at the San Siro on Tuesday, where Gabriel Jesus scored a first-half double and Viktor Gyokeres wrapped up the victory late on.

A seventh win from seven guarantees Arsenal a top-two finish in the league phase which means home advantage in the second leg all the way through to the semi-finals.

They sit top of the standings on 21 points, six ahead of Bayern Munich who host Union Saint-Gilloise on Wednesday.

Jesus finished off a scuffed effort by Jurrien Timber to give Arsenal a 10th-minute lead.

Petar Sucic levelled eight minutes later only for Jesus to put the visitors back in front with a header from a corner 14 minutes before the break.

Substitute Gyokeres wrapped up the win with a stunning finish from outside the area six minutes from time and Inter dropped to ninth in the table on 12 points.

Bukayo Saka of Arsenal runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Federico Dimarco of FC Internazionale Milano during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 match between FC Internazionale Milano and Arsenal FC at Stadio San Siro on January 20, 2026 in Milan, Italy.

Inter looked to have weathered the early storm, but Arsenal hit the front when Jurrien Timber's scuffed effort was finished off by Jesus' hooked shot from just outside the six-yard box.

The hosts bounced back eight minutes later, Nicolo Barella's initial attempt was blocked and the ball fell to Sucic who let fly from the edge of the area into the roof of the net as Arsenal conceded just their second goal of the competition.

Inter had a decent chance to take the lead but Marcus Thuram blasted his shot over and they were left ruing that miss when Arsenal scored 14 minutes before halftime.

Bukayo Saka sent a corner to the back post where Leandro Trossard kept the ball in play, heading back across goal from the byline to give the unmarked Jesus the simplest of headers.

Inter created chances in an open game with David Raya parrying Federico Dimarco's shot from a wide angle in the area and Arsenal took their lead into the break.

Declan Rice of Arsenal during the Carabao Cup Semi Final First Leg match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on January 14, 2026 in London, England.
Declan Rice gestures during the game

Trossard hit a volleyed attempt which went wide of the far post as Arsenal pushed for a third goal early in the second half.

Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni put in a last-ditch tackle with Saka ready to pull the trigger when through on goal but the home side continued to threaten at the other end with substitute Francesco Pio Esposito going close with a shot on the turn.

The pace dropped late on but Arsenal made sure of the win when substitute Gyokeres made a great run to collect Gabriel Martinelli's pass from his own half and after Saka lost the ball, Gyokeres curled a stunning strike into the top corner.

Mikel Arteta made seven changes to the side which drew 0-0 with Nottingham Forest on Saturday but Arsenal proved too strong for the Serie A leaders, as they march on in their bid to win the trophy for the first time.

Watch Marseille v Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport

Read Next