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Napoli vs Arsenal UCL preview: Match form and team news prediction
09th September, 2026 01:54 PM
English champions Arsenal return to the UEFA Champions League stage this Wednesday, September 9, 2026, to kick-start their European campaign with a trip to face Napoli. Mikel Arteta’s men seek to go one step further than last season and claim Europe’s top trophy following their disappointment in May 2026 against PSG in Budapest.
The Gunners kicked off their season’s exploits by sweeping Manchester City 3–0 in the Community Shield, the traditional opener between the reigning league champions and FA Cup winners.
The cruise was followed by an easy statement win over Coventry (3-0), before the Londoners also edged Aston Villa (1-0) and finally Chelsea (2-1) in the Premier League.
The in-form champions have plundered nine goals while conceding just once, demonstrating an early yet dominant display of their season’s capabilities. They now look to remain unbeaten and extend an incredible 12-game winning run in group-stage matches in the competition, stretching back to November 2024.
Napoli approach Wednesday’s opener facing a potential crisis, with influential midfielders Scott McTominay and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa both ruled out. McTominay underwent surgery on Tuesday to address an irregular heartbeat, while Anguissa remains sidelined with a physical injury.
Head to-head
The two sides have met four times in European competition prior to this league phase encounter, with Arsenal taking three wins to Napoli’s sole victory—including 2–0 Champions League and Europa League home wins in 2013 and 2019, alongside a 1–0 away triumph in Naples following an earlier 2–0 loss in Italy.
Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri admitted to being the underdog heading into the tie, but remained optimistic about springing a surprise against the London club.
“Every game starts at 0-0, but clearly Arsenal are favourites. We’ll need to show our strength and ability to be competitive. We’ll approach the game with determination and pride as we try to get a positive result. We have to turn over a new leaf. We face a different challenge tomorrow. We will need to put in a technically excellent performance and be able to defend better than we did against Como and Inter,” he stated.
For his part, Arteta charged his team to brace for a tough duel irrespective of their opponent’s stuttering start to the season. “It will be a really tough place. I’ve been in that stadium before, I know the atmosphere they create, and their record at home is really, really strong.
“They have a very experienced manager and a lot of players who played in the league as well, so we know the challenge ahead. We are prepared, and we’re ready to go,” he said, as quoted by the club.
Probable team news
Napoli Starting XI: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Marin, Rrahmani, Spinazzola; De Bruyne, Lobotka, Gilmour; Politano, Hojlund, Santos
Arsenal Starting XI: Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Eze, Odegaard, Tzolis; Gyokeres
