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Chapter 122: Champions League Night End
🕑 Added 2025-08-14 13:34:00 +0000 UTC“Kai… tries his luck from distance… ohhh, it’s agonisingly close! It clips the crossbar on its way over!”
In the Sky Sports commentary box, Martin Taylor gave a knowing shake of the head before smiling.
“Brilliant strike. He’s feeling confident tonight. That’s the second time he’s tested Mandanda from range, and both efforts have been right out of the top drawer. No goal yet, but the execution is spot on.”
Alan Smith, seated alongside, nodded in agreement.
“I think Arsène’s told him to back himself in those situations. From the very start of the campaign, we’ve seen Kai let fly from outside the box—it’s a useful weapon to have in his game.”
“His passing range is already a big asset, but if he can keep adding that long-range threat, he becomes a completely different proposition. I think Wenger’s been spot-on encouraging it.”
On the touchline, Wenger gave a discreet nod of approval. He liked both of Kai’s early attempts—not only for the potential of a goal, but for the psychological message they sent.
Two powerful efforts, both reminding Marseille: Even if you keep us outside your penalty area, we can still cause you problems.
..
“Don’t give him space!” Mandanda bellowed from his goalmouth. The Marseille skipper knew the danger. All it took was one lapse, and Kai’s next strike might well dip under the bar.
The defenders looked uneasy. It wasn’t just Kai—they were having to keep tabs on Cazorla, Suarez, Arteta, Walcott… all stretching them in different ways. But ignoring Kai simply wasn’t an option.
.
Kai was patrolling the edge of the attacking third, searching for openings. Walcott, finding no route inside, rolled the ball his way.
A quick touch, a shift to the side—
—but instantly, two Marseille players closed him down, one in front, one from behind.
He couldn’t get the shot away. Forced to protect the ball, he shielded it before slipping a pass out wide.
Hands on his hips, he took a deep breath. If I’d managed to wriggle free there, we’d have had another crack at them.
Realising he was now being tightly marked, Kai eased back, abandoning the hunt for another shot and focusing on intercepting Marseille’s counterattacks.
“Kai’s dropped deeper now,” Martin noted. “Looks like he’s read the situation—no clear opening, so he’s slotted back into that defensive shape. Marseille will be grateful for the breather.”
But the reprieve was short-lived. Arsenal’s pressure continued, with Suarez forcing a strong punch away from Mandanda. Nkoulou chested it down and launched it towards Payet.
Payet accelerated—but Arsenal’s No.4 was already matching him stride for stride.
As the ball descended, Kai timed his leap perfectly, arms spread just enough to block Payet’s jump. The Marseille man could only crane his neck, hoping for an error, but none came.
A firm header, cushioned perfectly to the retreating Arteta.
“Payet’s been beaten there, and comfortably too,” Martin said, his tone tinged with amusement.
Alan added, “It’s what Kai does so well—reads the flight, gets the body position right, and once he’s there first, you’re not shifting him.”
In the away end, Arsenal’s travelling supporters applauded loudly. That interception didn’t just stop a break—it killed it before it could even form.
The home crowd grumbled.
“It’s him again!”
“Why is he everywhere?”
“Someone get past him—Gignac, Payet, anybody!”
“Valbuena, you’ve got to make something happen!”
But Valbuena’s evening was proving miserable. Every touch was met with immediate pressure, and whenever he looked to pass, Kai was already in position to cut it out.
France’s Little Bike was being strangled by Arsenal’s disciplined press—and Kai was at the centre of it all.
With him locking down the midfield, Arsenal were free to attack with greater intensity. And when he pushed forward himself, Marseille had to scramble just to keep their defensive shape.
.
Kai had a feeling—maybe it was just his reading of the game—but Marseille didn’t quite feel like a second-tier Champions League side tonight. They were organised, disciplined, and still looking to cause trouble when given the chance.
The ball found its way to Payet’s feet again.
Kai immediately moved to cut off his path, angling his run to block the lane and force him wide.
Payet glanced up, searching for a teammate in space, but there was nothing on. Arsenal’s midfield and defence had the passing lanes locked down. With options gone, the Frenchman decided to take matters into his own hands.
A sudden burst—he shaped to drive down the outside. Kai reacted instantly, matching his acceleration stride for stride.
Then Payet shifted his weight, flicking the ball with his left foot to try and slip past on the inside. It was clever, but Kai was already reading the change in rhythm.
One sharp stop, a pivot, and he was exactly where he needed to be—the ball smacking into his boots before Payet could even complete the move.
Kai spun and chased the loose ball as Payet stood there, staring at the turf in frustration. The home crowd groaned in unison.
In Ligue 1, Payet could glide past defenders with ease. Tonight, against Arsenal’s No.4, he was hitting a brick wall.
Kai looked up immediately after collecting the ball. Without hesitation, he swung his left foot through it, sending a raking long pass over the halfway line, perfectly into the path of the surging Podolski.
Podolski cushioned the ball with a deft first touch and cut inside, forcing Marseille’s right-back, Fanni, to turn awkwardly. That half-second of imbalance was all the German needed to open a gap and accelerate away.
Driving into the box, Podolski swept in a low cross with a teasing arc, curling it around centre-back Lucas Mendes.
Suarez was waiting—battling shoulder-to-shoulder with N'Koulou—and somehow got the faintest of touches. The ball skimmed along the ground, kissed the inside of the right post, and nestled into the net.
34 minutes gone, Arsenal had the lead.
Martin Taylor’s voice came alive over the Sky Sports feed:
“Suarez! Goal for Arsenal! The Uruguayan breaks the deadlock, his first of the Champions League campaign, and what a time to get it.”
Alan Smith added with enthusiasm:
“Lovely move. Podolski’s delivery was spot-on, but we can’t overlook Kai’s part in it—what a long ball to start that attack. That’s precision from deep, and it opened Marseille right up.”
Martin continued, his tone lifting with the crowd noise:
“Arsenal’s away fans are in full voice now—and back home in North London, they’ll be loving this.”
Indeed, in pubs and living rooms across London, Arsenal supporters erupted in celebration, arms raised high as voices joined in unison: “Come on, you Gunners!”
...
The second half began with Wenger making no changes—he trusted his XI to keep control. Marseille, however, altered their shape to push more men forward, looking for a way back into the contest.
It came at a cost. The added attacking thrust left gaps at the back, and Arsenal’s counter-attacks began to bite.
At 77 minutes, the killer blow arrived. Cazorla threaded a perfectly weighted pass through the centre, splitting Marseille’s defence and releasing Podolski one-on-one.
No hesitation—the German smashed his shot low past Mandanda to double Arsenal’s lead.
From the commentary box, Martin called it:
“Podolski! That’s two for Arsenal, and surely now the points are heading back to London.”
Alan chimed in:
“Clinical finish. You could see from his body language that he wasn’t going to waste that. Marseille have been undone on the break there.”
By the 80th minute, Wenger began shoring things up, introducing fresh legs and reinforcing the defensive lines. Marseille almost managed a consolation goal deep into stoppage time but it was ruled out for offside.
Full-time: Marseille 0–2 Arsenal. The French side had been beaten in their stadium in the opening round of the Champions League group stage.
...
In the post-match press conference, Marseille boss Élie Baup spoke with a hint of frustration.
“Our attack was ineffective tonight. Before the game, I was thinking about how to break through Arsenal’s defence—but clearly, we didn’t find the answer. This match has given me some ideas, though. I think by the second meeting, we’ll know better how to deal with their midfield.”
Wenger, calm and composed as ever, took his turn:
“We welcome challenges from any side. Arsenal will not fear any opponent in this group stage. We’ll approach every match with the aim to win—and as you can see, we’re in good form. Possibly the best we’ve been this season.”
When asked about Kai’s role, Wenger smiled.
“Kai doesn’t yet have a fixed, core position—he’s still developing. There’s a lot of untapped potential in him. His defensive contribution tonight was crucial to our victory. As for his long-term role, it’s too soon to say exactly, but his future is one we can all look forward to.”
Questions about the midfielder’s contract soon followed.
“We’ve signed him to a five-year deal, but we’ll be preparing an improved one this season. His current wages don’t match his performances. We will make sure they do—but as for the exact numbers, those will remain between us.”
With that, Wenger rose from his seat, shook hands with the press officers, and led his players out into the Marseille night. Within hours, they were on a flight back to London, ready to turn their attention to the weekend’s league fixture.
