LATEST NEWS: “I don’t want to see him in Arsenal’s lineup against Atalanta again. Enough is enough, this player has cost us a lot, but Arteta doesn’t see it yet,” said Arsene Wenger. The Arsenal legend vowed to have an issue with Arteta if he starts the £50 million player today, emphasizing it’s not Havertz, Trossard, or Gabriel Jesus.
Arsenal’s pursuit of their first-ever Champions League trophy continues as they gear up to face Europa League winners Atalanta in their opening match of the 2024/25 European campaign. The Gunners travel to Bergamo on Thursday, riding the momentum of a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby. This win has propelled them to second place in the Premier League standings, just two points behind Manchester City, whom they will encounter this weekend.
After reaching the Champions League quarter-finals last season, where they were knocked out by Bayern Munich, Arsenal will be determined to go further in this year’s expanded tournament. However, their first European test this season is a tough one, as Atalanta are known to be a challenging opponent.
Atalanta, who claimed the Europa League title last season, have had an inconsistent start to their current campaign. After back-to-back defeats, they managed to bounce back with a 3-2 victory over Fiorentina. Earlier in the season, they faced Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup but lost 2-0. Despite their struggles, Atalanta is a resilient side, and Arsenal will need to be on top form to secure a favorable result.
Unfortunately for Atalanta, they will be without some crucial players, including forward Gianluca Scamacca and defender Giorgio Scalvini, who are both out with ACL injuries. Additionally, former Everton defender Ben Godfrey and experienced centre-back Rafael Toloi are also unavailable. This opens the door for ex-Arsenal player Sead Kolasinac to potentially face his former team. On the attacking side, new signing Mateo Retegui has made an immediate impact, netting four goals in four Serie A appearances, while Ademola Lookman, who scored a hat-trick in last season’s Europa League final, will be looking to make his mark against Arsenal.
Atalanta’s predicted lineup (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Bellanova, De Roon, Ederson, Ruggeri; De Ketelaere, Lookman; Retegui.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have injury concerns of their own. Martin Odegaard, who was sidelined for the North London Derby due to an injury picked up during the international break, will miss Thursday’s match as well. He will be joined by Mikel Merino and Takehiro Tomiyasu on the injury list. Additionally, Bukayo Saka sustained a knock in the game against Spurs, and it remains uncertain if he will recover in time for the clash against Atalanta. However, Saka has a reputation for his resilience and rarely sits out matches.
On the bright side, Gabriel Jesus returned in the Tottenham game, and Declan Rice is expected to start after serving a suspension. However, Riccardo Calafiori, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Kieran Tierney, all of whom missed the Spurs game, are likely to be unavailable for the Atalanta fixture as well.
Arsenal’s predicted lineup (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Rice, Partey, Havertz; Saka, Jesus, Trossard.
This matchup promises to be a closely fought contest as both teams contend with injury setbacks. Arsenal will hope to kick off their Champions League campaign on a high note in Italy.