Atlanta v Arsenal – Champions League begins.

We begin our Champions League conquest today in Italy. It’s a new season, new format and new hope to win something, or at least make it to the end. All of Arsenal are ready to make an impact and players, who have dreamt of playing in Champions League, are going to start today in an attempt to prove they are one of the best football players on the planet.

We, as a club, has come a long way. Last 10-15 years haven’t been good, but we are fighting on two fronts and I’m excited than ever. Martin Odegaard’s unavailability makes me a bit nervous but someone from that playing XI will take up the opportunity to let us not miss our captain.

Let’s go through the new format, whom we are going to play in Champions League this year in League Phase and what’s my expectation against Atlanta today.

Champions League new format explained

We have a change to the Champions League format from this year. There are 36 teams participating, and each club will play against 8 others club (4 away, 4 home games). Top 8 teams out of the 36 will qualify automatically for the round of 16 knockout stage, while the teams finishing between 9th and 24th place will have to compete in a play off in a home and away game.

Rest 12 teams will be eliminated.

So, we have 4 extra teams this year. There is no home and away in the first round called League Phase, you get to play 8 different teams with half of those games at home and other half away. Every other team does the same and the top 8 of this League Phase table qualifies for the round of 16. The other 8 teams are selected between the next 16 spots, where they play a home and away game against another team and the best 8 of these qualifies as well.

Right, so we have been left with 16 teams now after League Phase. From round of 16, the format remains same as last year, a home and away game till finals with whoever losing gets eliminated. Final remains a single game at a neutral venue.

So, which 8 teams are playing?

Arsenal Champions League fixtures

We get to play Atlanta, Inter, Sporting, Girona away from home and games against PSG, Shakhtar, Monaco and Dinamo at home.

Atlanta v Arsenal – Sep 19th
Arsenal v PSG – Oct 01
Arsenal v Shakhtar Donetsk – Oct 22
Inter Milan v Arsenal – Nov 06
Sporting v Arsenal – Nov 26
Arsenal v Monaco – Dec 11
Arsenal v Dinamo Zagreb – Jan 22
Girona v Arsenal – Jan 29

If you ask me, we have a rather easier Champions League draw but you can’t take a CL game lightly. Only last night, City dropped points against Inter at home in a goalless draw.

With the new format, there’s a challenge to finish in the top 8 to avoid 2 extra knockoff games and to qualify directly to the round of 16. To do that, you indirectly compete with the likes of Man City, Liverpool, Bayern, PSG, Juventus, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Leverkusen, AC Milan and Dortmund. That’s 12 top teams in Europe and there are few others which can beat any team on their best days. We are playing one of these today – Atlanta.

Atlanta v Arsenal

We are opening our Champions League campaign today against Atlanta. They are the current Europa League winners who beat the likes of Liverpool and Leverkusen last year to win the trophy. They will make sure we don’t have an easy game.

In team news, we have a good news regarding Bukayo. He has travelled with the team to Italy and Calafiori is back with the team as well. Declan Rice will be present after his suspesion in Premier League. We needed him at this stage. Zinchenko is out injured but Timber has done a good job and we most likely won’t miss him. Mikel Merino is out for some time. The only concern for us is the Odegaard’s injury. There’s no proper back up and unless someone (Ethan) steps up, we are going to struggle both in EPL and CL. Hopefully, it’s only a slight drop in performance which we can manage.

I expect us to play the same backline of White, Gabriel, Saliba, Timber with Raya in goal. Jorginho will make way for Declan Rice and Partey and Trossard will fill the other 2 places. Saka, Havertz, and Martinelli will pick themselves up. Trossard did a good job, but he is a winger, not a mid. I so wish, ESR was still with us today. Anyways, go grab that opportunity Nwaneri.

Expectations?

Lets have some high expectation from a club fighting for the domestic league and the CL, having spent more than half a billion dollar, shall we? Champions League games can be unexpected but we should be winning today and with couple of goals. With about 15 top teams fighting for that 8 position to avoid getting into an extra play-off game, every goal will matter. Goal difference can be the decider between a 8th place finish or the 9th.

Lets go out there, score couple of goals and get back home to face Man City. Martinelli to score today, that’s my bet.

Right, that’s all for today. See you during the game.