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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Arsenal thump German champions </li><li>Arteta hailed by compatriot Alonso</li><li>Gunners aiming for Premier League title</li></ul>

'He's a competitive animal!' - Xabi Alonso lauds Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta after Arsenal thrash his Bayer Leverkusen side in pre-season friendly

Bundesliga

Bayer Leverkusen

FC Heidenheim

Premier League

Nottingham Forest

Alonso saw his Leverkusen side thumped by the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, as goals from Oleksandr Zinchenko, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/winners-and-losers-arsenal-bayer-leverkusen-kai-havertz-gabriel-jesus/blt791e0117f022adbb" target="_blank">earned Arteta's men a 4-1 win</a>.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The win was made all the more impressive by Leverkusen's monumental achievements last season, as Alonso oversaw Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal triumphs, unbeaten, and also guided the club to the Europa League final. Now, he has hailed the ability of his fellow Spaniard.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Alonso told reporters: “Competitive. He has been always a competitive animal.“Here you can see how he has developed a great project.“You could see that he wanted to win and he was preparing for that, you know. It is a fruit of many decisions that he has taken that they reach here in Arsenal.”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">"He's a competitive ANIMAL!" 🥵 Xabi Alonso with some great words for his close friend Mikel Arteta 😂 🔗 <a href="https://t.co/0IoPICEB8J">https://t.co/0IoPICEB8J</a> <a href="https://t.co/tYaoXSbBXd">pic.twitter.com/tYaoXSbBXd</a>— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/HaytersTV/status/1821268418701492231?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

WHAT ALONSO SAID

Arsenal play Lyon in the Emirates Cup this weekend and then face Wolves in their opening Premier League game on August 17.

WHAT NEXT?

'He's a competitive animal!' - Xabi Alonso lauds Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta after Arsenal thrash his Bayer Leverkusen side in pre-season friendly | Goal.com

Xabi Alonso has labelled Mikel Arteta a &quot;competitive animal&quot; after Bayer Leverkusen lost 4-1 to the Gunners in pre-season.

&apos;He&apos;s a competitive animal!&apos; - Xabi Alonso lauds Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta after Arsenal thrash his Bayer Leverkusen side in pre-season friendly