LATEST NEWS: “I don’t want to see him in the Arsenal lineup against Atalanta anymore. Enough is enough, this player has caused us too many problems, but Arteta doesn’t seem to realize it yet,” Arsenal legend Arsene Wenger declared, warning that he would have a personal issue with Arteta if the £50m player starts against Atalanta today – and it’s not Havertz, Trossard, or Gabriel Jesus.
In a more detailed and spaced paraphrase:
“I am absolutely done seeing him in the Arsenal lineup against Atalanta. Enough is enough – this player has cost us dearly time and time again, but Arteta doesn’t seem to realize it yet,” said Arsenal legend Arsene Wenger. He strongly emphasized that he would take personal issue with Arteta if the £50 million player starts against Atalanta today – and it’s not Havertz, not Trossard, and not Gabriel Jesus.
Arsenal is gearing up for their first match of the 2024/25 Champions League season, taking on Europa League champions Atalanta. The Gunners head to Bergamo riding the momentum of a 1-0 victory over Tottenham in the North London Derby, which moved them up to second place in the Premier League, just two points behind Manchester City, who they will face over the weekend.
After last season’s Champions League run, where they reached the quarter-finals but were knocked out by Bayern Munich, Arsenal will be looking to go further in this year’s competition. However, their first test won’t be easy, as Atalanta, the reigning Europa League winners, will provide stiff opposition.
Atalanta, who had a rocky start to their domestic campaign with two losses in a row, regained form by defeating Fiorentina 3-2. Earlier in the season, they faced Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup, falling short with a 2-0 loss. Though inconsistent, Atalanta’s reputation for resilience remains, meaning Arsenal must perform at their highest level to come away with a positive result.
Atalanta will be missing key players like striker Gianluca Scamacca and defender Giorgio Scalvini, both out with ACL injuries. Other notable absences include former Everton defender Ben Godfrey and veteran centre-back Rafael Toloi, which could lead to former Arsenal player Sead Kolasinac facing his old team. On the attacking side, new arrival Mateo Retegui has made an immediate impact, netting four goals in four Serie A matches, while Ademola Lookman, who scored a hat-trick in last season’s Europa League final, will be eager to shine against the Gunners.
Atalanta’s predicted lineup (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Ruggeri; De Ketelaere, Lookman; Retegui.
Arsenal, too, is dealing with injury issues. Martin Odegaard, who missed the North London Derby after picking up an injury during the international break, is set to miss this match as well. He joins Mikel Merino and Takehiro Tomiyasu on the injury list. Bukayo Saka sustained a knock against Spurs, though it remains uncertain if he will recover in time for the clash with Atalanta. Known for his resilience, Saka rarely sits out games.
On a brighter note, Gabriel Jesus returned to action against Tottenham, and Declan Rice will rejoin the squad after serving a suspension. However, Riccardo Calafiori, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Kieran Tierney missed the Spurs game and are unlikely to feature against Atalanta.
Arsenal’s predicted lineup (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Rice, Partey, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Trossard.
This encounter promises to be a close contest as both sides juggle injury concerns, with Arsenal looking to kick off their Champions League campaign on a positive note in Italy.