After Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Wolves in their Premier League opener, Mikel Arteta drew a notable comparison between Bukayo Saka and Lionel Messi.
In the match, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka were the scorers for Arsenal. Saka played a crucial role, providing the assist for Havertz’s goal and then scoring a stunning goal himself by cutting inside from the right and striking a powerful shot past Wolves’ goalkeeper José Sá.
When asked about Saka’s ability to consistently cut inside onto his left foot and why teams struggle to stop him, Arteta responded by drawing a parallel with Messi. He said, “Good players, you know. With [Lionel] Messi, I know that he’s going to come in here and put the ball there. He does it all the time. It’s the quality of the players.”
Arteta’s comment underscores his high regard for Saka’s skill and effectiveness, suggesting that like Messi, Saka’s quality makes him exceptionally difficult to defend against, even when opponents are aware of his tendencies.