Champions League: Rampaging Arsenal destroy RC Lens to book R16 place

Arsenal's Stunning 6-0 Win: Champions League Round of 16 Confirmed.

Bukayo Saka celebrates after a stellar performance at the Emirates against RC Lens in the Champions League on Wednesday. Arsenal won 6-0. (Photo credit: Sky Sports)

Arsenal swept RC Lens aside in a sensational 6-0 win in the Champions League under the lights at the Emirates on Wednesday, a result that confirmed the Gunners’ place in the round of 16.

Arsenal lost 2-1 in France to RC Lens, a result that put a dent in their credentials, but back-to-back wins over Sevilla restored their leadership status in the group. But the performance and result of Wednesday must have sent shivers down the spines of other teams.

The win also goes straight into the history book as Arsenal’s 100^th win in the UEFA Champions League. It was also the first time in the history of the game that a team would go into the break with a 5-0 lead and all goals scored by different players (excluding their own goals).

Kai Havertz opened the scoring with a close-range tap-in, his second in as many games, prompting fans to believe his confidence may be right back, and he’d probably go on to show the signs that got Chelsea to pay big money for him in the first place.

Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka combined to make it two and three, respectively, before Gabriel Martinelli curled one home to make it four. Takehiro Tomiyasu set up Martin Odegaard to side-foot one late in the first half to make it five, and at that point, the visitors couldn’t wait to see the end of the half.

Arsenal needed the win to confirm their place as the group winner after PSV came from 2-0 to win 3-2 at Sevilla in the first game of the day. Sevilla had surged to a 2-0 lead, but Lucas Ocampos saw red, and that fueled PSV’s incredible comeback.

"I didn't even dream like this," Arteta told reporters. "We had the chance to qualify today and be at the top of the group, and I think we've done it in a really convincing way." The team from the beginning showed a lot of aggression and determination to go for the game. Everything happened in the right way in the first 30 minutes."

Jorginho converted from the spot to make it 6-0. The win confirmed Arsenal as the group winner as well as their place in the round of 16 by extension. The visit to PSV in a fortnight is a dead rubber game, but trust Mikel Arteta and the lads to show up.