Napoli vs Arsenal - prediction, team news, lineups

The Champions League trophy has arguably ne'er been nearer to Arsenal's reach, and the reigning Premier League champions statesman their adjacent bid for European supremacy connected Wednesday evening, erstwhile they caput to Napoli successful their league-phase opener.

Mikel Arteta has overseen a 100% commencement to the run successful North London, whereas Massimiliano Allegri's men are astatine hazard of a 3rd consecutive nonaccomplishment successful each tournaments this week.

Match preview

Quarter-finalists successful 2023-24, semi-finalists successful 2024-25, and beaten finalists successful 2025-26; the Champions League chronicle suggests that this twelvemonth volition belatedly beryllium Arsenal's year, aft a 2nd dose of continental heartache 20 years connected from their first.

Silver medallists successful some 2006 and 2026 - either broadside of a crushing Europa League last nonaccomplishment to Chelsea nether Unai Emery - the Gunners came person than ever earlier to taking location the iconic trophy successful Budapest, lone for Gabriel Magalhaes's chaotic spot footwear to guarantee Paris Saint-Germain retained their robust grip connected the honour.

The Emirates faithful indispensable truthful suck up different respective months of "Champions of Europe, you'll ne'er sing that" jibes from rival supporters, but having gone unbeaten successful each 15 Champions League games successful mean time, portion keeping much cleanable sheets (nine) and conceding less goals (seven) than immoderate different squad successful the tournament, that chant whitethorn not clasp retired overmuch longer.

A sojourn to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona represents a daunting opening fixture, but Arsenal person avoided decision successful each of their past 9 matchday 1 fixtures successful European competition, winning 7 and drafting 2 specified contests.

Sunday's merited 2-1 Premier League triumph implicit assigned rubric rivals Chelsea besides marked Arsenal's 4th triumph from 4 successful each tournaments successful 2026-27, during which they person netted 9 goals portion shipping conscionable 1 astatine the different end.

Arteta vs. Allegri pits unneurotic 2 managers accused of 'anti-football' philosophies, but the latter's Napoli outfit person frankincense acold failed to show the antiaircraft resilience his serial-winning Juventus sides became famed for.

The Partenopei opened Serie A proceedings with a regular 2-0 triumph astatine Genoa, but their archetypal location crippled of the play ended successful a 2-1 reverse to Cesc Fabregas's Como, earlier a calamitous illness astatine San Siro against Inter Milan connected Saturday.

Two quickfire goals from Matteo Politano and Rasmus Hojlund gave Napoli breathing abstraction aboriginal successful the 2nd half, lone for a Curtis Jones-inspired Inter to implicit a melodramatic turnaround and prevail 3-2, acknowledgment to Lautaro Martinez's victor successful the 91st minute.

Supposedly already nether superior unit successful Naples, Allegri is not aided by the hosts' meagre caller European record, featuring conscionable 2 wins from their past 10 Champions League games and 3 consecutive defeats to English teams successful the competition.

Arsenal besides conquered Napoli successful some legs of their 2018-19 Europa League quarter-final, aft the 2 clubs won 1 apiece successful the 2013-14 Champions League radical stage; existent Gunners brag Arteta saw reddish erstwhile Arsene Wenger's men mislaid 2-0 successful Italy.

Napoli signifier (all competitions):

Arsenal signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Arsenal emerged unscathed physically from their triumph implicit Chelsea, but Cristhian Mosquera was absent owed to the muscular occupation helium sustained astatine Aston Villa, and the Spaniard's presumption for Wednesday is presently up successful the air.

Jurrien Timber (groin) has not been ruled retired but would lone marque the seat astatine best, portion William Saliba is inactive a fig of weeks distant from returning from a superior backmost injury.

Bruno Guimaraes, connected the different hand, overcame a niggle to look arsenic an unused substitute connected Sunday, though the fully-fit Martin Zubimendi whitethorn beryllium preferred centrally if Arteta tinkers with his XI.

From acceptable midfielders to unfit midfielders, Napoli's prima antheral Scott McTominay is acceptable for a period connected the sidelines arsenic helium prepares to acquisition a insignificant bosom cognition for a mild arrhythmia.

Allegri is besides managing without cardinal defenders Alessandro Buongiorno (knee) and Luca Marianucci (knee) - some of whom were omitted from the league-phase squad - and young striker Giovane (hernia).

Despite changing the crippled against Genoa with a extremity and assistance disconnected the bench, Kevin De Bruyne is yet to commencement for Napoli this season, but the 35-year-old volition person his sights acceptable connected Antonio Vergara's spot this week.

Napoli imaginable starting lineup:

Meret; Di Lorenzo, Marin, Rrahmani, Spinazzola; De Bruyne, Lobotka, Anguissa; Politano, Hojlund, Santos

Arsenal imaginable starting lineup:

Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz

We say: Napoli 1-2 Arsenal

No McTominay means nary enactment for Napoli, whose antiaircraft catastrophe against Inter spells information against an Arsenal broadside who showed shades of their 2022-23 and 2023-24 attacking selves connected Sunday.

Also blessed with aggregate options for alteration successful midfield and attack, Arteta's men person our backing to kickstart their Champions League run connected the close foot.

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