Napoli vs. Arsenal—Champions League: Preview, Predictions and Lineups

One of the most tantalizing fixtures of the Champions League’s opening round will be staged at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Wednesday as Napoli host Arsenal.

Both clubs kick off their European campaigns hoping for improvements on last season’s performance. Arsenal, who finished runners-up, are desperate to clinch their maiden Champions League title, while Napoli, who were knocked out in the league phase, simply must reach the knockout stages.

Despite trips to Naples never being straightforward, Arsenal are clear favorites for the upcoming clash. After demolishing Manchester City in the Community Shield, they have began their Premier League title defense with three successive wins, including a hard-fought triumph over Chelsea last weekend.

Things have been tougher for Napoli, who are under the guidance of Massimiliano Allegri following Antonio Conte’s exit. They have lost their last two matches to Como and Inter, but the latter was particularly bruising as the Partenopei surrendered a two-goal lead in their 3–2 loss at San Siro.

Napoli vs. Arsenal Score Prediction

Arsenal Extend Winning Streak

Martin Ødegaard, Declan Rice — Arsenal look unbeatable right now. | Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

The risk of Arsenal slipping up in Italy appears low.

The Gunners have picked up from where they left off at the end of last season, further strengthening a Premier League-winning roster. They now boast even more depth, allowing Mikel Arteta to rotate his team midweek without reducing its quality.

Arsenal have the superstars missing from Napoli’s team, with Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka in particularly devastating form. At the other end of the field lies a watertight defense more than capable of earning yet another clean sheet.

Napoli are still finding their feet under Allegri as they look to balance attack and defense, and Arsenal should take advantage of any uncertainty in their ranks. A fierce atmosphere and sprinkling of star quality will not be enough to thwart England’s best side.

Arsenal’s rigid backline: Morgan Rogers is the only player to have breached Arsenal’s goal this season. They have allowed a mere 0.9 expected goals in their three Premier League outings. Even injuries have been unable to disrupt Arteta’s defense.
History hints at Arsenal win: The Gunners topped last season’s league phase table after winning all eight of their matches. They went the entirety of the tournament unbeaten in 90 minutes, and the only game they lost was the final.
Head-to-head record: These clubs have clashed on just four occasions previously, with Arsenal winning three of those matches and the last two (both coming in the 2018–19 Europa League). None of the previous duels have seen both teams score.

Prediction: Napoli 0–2 Arsenal

Napoli Predicted Lineup vs. Arsenal

Napoli will be without talismanic midfielder Scott McTominay for the match, with the Scotland international out for the foreseeable future as he prepares for a minor heart operation. Alessandro Buongiorno and Luca Marianucci are both injured, too, but wouldn’t be able to feature anyway after being omitted from the league phase squad.

Giovane is missing with a hernia, while André-Frank Zambo Anguissa will sit out the fixture due to an adductor injury. There are doubts over the involvement of David Neres as well.

Ex-Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne will replace Anguissa in the midfield, while former Manchester United striker Rasmus Højlund will lead the line.

Napoli predicted lineup vs. Arsenal (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Marín, Spinazzola; De Bruyne, Lobotka, Vergara; Politano, Højlund, Santos.

Arsenal Predicted Lineup vs. Napoli

Arsenal’s injury concerns come in the defensive third, with center backs William Saliba and Cristhian Mosquera both missing in the trip to Naples. In better news, Jurriën Timber has made the journey after recovering from injury, meaning he could make his first appearance since the Champions League final.

Arteta has plenty of depth to his roster and should call upon new faces in midfield. Martín Zubimendi will be given a run out and Bruno Guimarães could make his first competitive start, with Declan Rice dropped to the bench for a well-earned rest.

In the forward line, Kai Havertz might make way for Viktor Gyökeres, who has barely featured this season. Eberechi Eze could also earn promotion to the XI on the left wing, stepping in for summer signing Christos Tzolis.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs. Napoli (4-2-3-1): Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Hincapié; Zubimendi, Guimarães; Saka, Ødegaard, Eze; Gyökeres.

What Time Does Napoli vs. Arsenal Kick Off?

Location: Naples, Italy
Stadium: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 9
Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
Referee: Glenn Nyberg (SWE)
VAR: Carlos Del Cerro Grande (ESP)

How to Watch Napoli vs. Arsenal on TV, Live Stream

Country	TV Channel/Live Stream
United States	Paramount+, ViX
Canada	DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada
Mexico	Max Mexico
United Kingdom	TNT Sports 2, HBO Max

MORE: Full list of Champions League broadcasters around the world

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