Arsenal 0-4 Barcelona
by Layth Yousif at Ashburton Grove

JONAS EIDEVALL’S Gunners lost heavily to an outstanding Barca team to cap a miserable week for the club. 

Arsenal tasted defeat for the second time in four days in a big match, as the home side, playing at the Emirates for the second time this season, were routed by Jonatan Giraldez's side, who also mixed steel with style and substance. 

The Gunners were no match for their superb visitors from Catalonia, as hopes the home side would banish Sunday's miserable 3-0 to Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley fell flat on a cold and wet evening in North London. 

Aitana Bonmati, Jennifer Hermoso and Fridolina Rolfo put defending champions Barcelona in control at half-time after an exceptional opening 45 minutes which featured relentless pressing by the visitors. 

Hermoso then added her second to make it 4-0 with 15 minutes remaining.

“Football is also momentum,” said boss, Jonas Eidevall, speaking after the match. “We have to take away the things we can learn and develop. At the same time we must not forget the things we’ve done really well so far this season. 

“It will be extremely important for us to get back on track and to not let this define us. Everyone understands what needs to be done but everybody has to live by it.”

For once the stats gave an accurate picture of proceedings, with 713 completed passes by Barcelona against only 226 by Arsenal, while the defending European champions had 20 attempts to the home side's six. In their 17 games this term, Barca have scored 91 goals and conceded only four.

Barcelona confirmed top spot in Group C while Eidevall's Arsenal will have to wait until next week to seal their place in the last eight. But for now, the deflated Gunners shouldn't be too hard on themselves, because this Barca side are magnificent.