Arsenal begin their UEFA Champions League campaign with a tough away trip to Naples and take on Italian challengers Napoli.
Massimiliano Allegri has had a difficult start to his campaign in his new role. Napoli went through a summer of change following the departure of title-winning manager Antonio Conte during the summer, while Allegri took up the role following his dismissal from AC Milan after a terrible end to the season at the San Siro.
Napoli did have a good start to their Serie A campaign with a 2-0 away win over Genoa, but have since struggled for relevance. The second game, a home clash with high-flyers Como, saw Allegri’s men suffer a defeat, and that trend continued when they visited San Siro at the weekend, as Inter Milan secured a late win.
The main objective for their Champions League campaign is stability and finding a way to qualify for the next phase, either via a playoff or directly into the round of 16 by finishing in the top eight. Napoli had a wretched league-phase campaign last term, finishing 30th in the standings and becoming one of the high-profile teams to miss out on the knockout rounds. They begin with a big test at home as Arsenal come visiting.
Arsenal will feel undone by the manner of their Champions League final loss to PSG last season, when Gabriel Magalhaes’s missed penalty in the shootout proved costly. In a game where Mikel Arteta’s men scored early and held on to the lead for as long as possible, they did show a good account of the quality in the team, at least from a defensive and structural point of view.
However, looking at Arsenal’s trajectory in the Champions League since their return to the competition in the 2023/24 season following a six-year hiatus, the progress has been clear. In that campaign, they reached the quarter-finals, then the semi-finals, and the final in the following season. Now, they are placed well within the ranks of teams capable of winning the competition in the upcoming campaign.
Meanwhile, Arteta’s side have had a splendid start to their season on the domestic front, winning the Community Shield and then their first three games in the Premier League. The latest of these came against London rivals Chelsea, as Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard scored in what was a dominant performance from the Gunners to keep their 100% record intact this season.
Team News & Tactics
Napoli
Massimiliano Allegri has a few issues to deal with when it comes to making selection decisions, as he remains without key man Scott McTominay. The Scotland international is set to remain absent for at least a month from now as he prepares to undergo a minor heart procedure for a mild arrhythmia.
While the former Manchester midfielder is expected to return in a few weeks and probably to his best, Allegri has other options to pick for his midfield until McTominay returns. One of those could be Kevin De Bruyne, who is yet to start a game for Napoli this season. Wednesday might be the occasion when he is named on the teamsheet and probably takes the place of Antonio Vergara.
There are more injury-related absentees, especially with young striker Giovane, who remains absent with a hernia problem. Meanwhile, Napoli have not registered defensive duo Alessandro Buongiorno and Luca Marianucci, both out with long-term knee problems.
The team could have a familiar look to the one that took the field at San Siro, including the same back four. Only De Bruyne could be the alteration in the midfield setup, while probably going with the same front three in what could resemble a 4-3-3 shape.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Marin, Spinazzola; Anguissa, Lobotka, De Bruyne; Politano, Hojlund, Santos
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta does not have any new injury issues apart from managing the fitness of Cristhian Mosquera, who was absent at the weekend with a muscular problem sustained against Aston Villa last Monday. There is a chance the Spaniard returns, while Bruno Guimaraes overcame a niggle to feature as an unused substitute against Chelsea.
The duo could be handed a start away in Naples, as Arteta is expected to rotate his pack heavily to manage the fitness of his squad. While William Saliba remains sidelined for many more weeks, there are still doubts over Jurrien Timber, although the manager did state he has been training for several weeks and is probably even close to returning against Chelsea.
Timber could be on the bench in Naples and come on during the game for Ben White at right-back. Arteta could also experiment with his backline by pairing Ezri Konsa and Mosquera, while Piero Hincapie will start at left-back over the impressive Riccardo Calafiori.
Similarly, Guimaraes could play alongside Martin Zubimendi in the midfield setup, while Mikel Merino could replace Odegaard in his role. Arteta could also ponder a complete revamp of his frontline by handing the likes of Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres their first starts of the campaign.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Raya; Ben White, Konsa, Mosquera, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Guimarães; Madueke, Merino, Eze; Gyokeres
Key Stats
- Napoli have lost only two of their last 21 UEFA Champions League home matches.
- Napoli have eight wins in 13 European encounters with English opposition.
- Arsenal are unbeaten in 15 UEFA Champions League games in normal time.
- Arsenal have avoided defeat in each of their last nine matchday one fixtures in European competition.
Player to Watch
Eberechi Eze
The competition for places is intense at Arsenal, and particularly in specific attacking and midfield positions. Eze, who is yet to start a game this season, will be under the spotlight for what he can bring to this team. The English attacker is now seen as a left-wing option for the team, and so far Mikel Arteta has preferred Christos Tzolis as his starting winger, but the Champions League could open a new door for Eze.
The expectation for Eze is to at least emulate the performances of the departed Gabriel Martinelli in the Champions League. Arteta will need a player steady enough to keep performing consistently in Europe, and Eze must seize this opportunity to make his mark on this team, as the Napoli game might be far more important for the England international than anyone else in this squad at this moment.
Prediction
Napoli 1-3 Arsenal
Napoli may have a strong home record in the UEFA Champions League coming into this huge clash with Arsenal on Wednesday. However, the tactics usually deployed by Massimiliano Allegri in many games could see them sit back and probably make reactive actions rather than being proactive, which could play into the visitors’ hands.
Arsenal have had a terrific record in Europe, home or away, over the last two years. While the visit to Naples represents a tough proposition, their quality and sufficient depth will do the trick here, as the Gunners are expected to come out as comfortable victors in this clash to begin their Champions League campaign with a handsome win.