Napoli v Arsenal Preview: Gunners Begin Another Champions League Quest

Arsenal begin another Champions League campaign on Wednesday night with a difficult trip to Napoli, looking to take the first step towards going one better after the heartbreak of last season’s final.

The Gunners suffered a painful penalty shootout defeat in the showpiece last season, but they have responded superbly at the beginning of 2026/27. Mikel Arteta’s side beat Manchester City in the Community Shield before taking maximum points from their opening three Premier League matches.

Napoli’s start has been far less convincing. They opened their Serie A campaign with a 2-0 victory away to Genoa but have since suffered defeats against Como and Inter Milan, leaving them 12th in the table.

The match kicks off at 8pm BST on Wednesday, September 9 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

UK viewers can watch the game live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage beginning at 7pm, while TalkSPORT 2 will provide radio commentary.

Napoli have several injury concerns heading into the game, as per The Standard.

Scott McTominay is unavailable after undergoing corrective surgery for a minor heart issue, while defenders Alessandro Buongiorno and Davide Marianucci remain sidelined with knee injuries.

Giovane is recovering from groin surgery, with Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and David Neres both facing late fitness tests after missing training.

Benoit Badiashile could make his full debut following his loan move from Chelsea.

One particularly familiar threat for Arsenal could be Kevin De Bruyne. The former Manchester City midfielder has appeared from the bench in Napoli’s opening three league games and could make his first start of the season.

Rasmus Hojlund, meanwhile, is expected to lead the line and arrives with an impressive Champions League record of eight goals in 13 appearances.

Cristhian Mosquera missed Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea with a minor muscle problem and looks unlikely to feature, meaning Ezri Konsa could continue alongside Gabriel in central defence.

Jurrien Timber has yet to play this season following minor summer surgery, although he has returned to first-team training and could make the squad.

William Saliba remains several weeks away from returning from his back injury.

Bruno Guimaraes was an unused substitute against Chelsea following a couple of fitness concerns, but the Brazilian should be in contention to start in Naples.

Arsenal’s attacking quartet of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Christos Tzolis and Kai Havertz are expected to start together for the fourth consecutive game.

European visitors rarely enjoy an easy night at the Maradona, with Napoli beaten only three times in their last 23 Champions League home fixtures. English clubs have accounted for two of those losses.

Arsenal, however, arrive with confidence and momentum after winning all eight league-phase matches last season, including an impressive 3-1 victory against Inter on their previous trip to Italy.

The atmosphere in Naples will be hostile, but this Arsenal side have already shown they can handle major European nights away from home.

Can Arsenal open their Champions League campaign with a statement victory in Naples, or would you take a point from this one? Let us know in the comments._____________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENT

So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….

You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.

CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…

Napoli v Arsenal Preview: Gunners Begin Another Champions League Quest

Three Competitions, Four Away Games: Arsenal’s Huge Ten Days Ahead

More Than Bragging Rights: Why Beating Chelsea Was Huge for Arsenal