BREAKING NEWS: “I don’t want to see him in the Arsenal lineup against Atalanta again. This player has cost us too much, but Arteta doesn’t recognize it,” says Arsenal legend Arsene Wenger, threatening to confront Arteta if he starts the £50m player against Atalanta today—not Havertz, Trossard, or Gabriel Jesus.

Arsenal is determined to make a strong start in their 2024/25 Champions League campaign as they face Europa League champions Atalanta in their opening group stage match. After a crucial 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby, which propelled them to second place in the Premier League standings, Arsenal approaches the European fixture with momentum.

Their current position leaves them just two points behind Manchester City, whom they are set to meet this weekend in a highly anticipated domestic clash.

After reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season, where they were knocked out by Bayern Munich, Arsenal is keen to build on that progress this season. However, their first European test will be a challenging one, as they face an Atalanta side known for its resilience and attacking style of play.

Atalanta, last season’s Europa League winners, have experienced an inconsistent start to their current campaign. Despite suffering two early defeats, they bounced back with a 3-2 victory over Fiorentina and participated in the UEFA Super Cup, where they were defeated 2-0 by Real Madrid. Though struggling with form, Atalanta’s tenacity remains a threat, and Arsenal will need to be at their best to secure a positive result.

The Italian side is also grappling with injuries, missing key players such as striker Gianluca Scamacca and defender Giorgio Scalvini, both out due to ACL injuries. Additionally, Ben Godfrey and Rafael Toloi are sidelined, but former Arsenal player Sead Kolasinac could face his old team.

Offensively, new signing Mateo Retegui has been in excellent form, scoring four goals in four Serie A matches, and Ademola Lookman, a standout in last season’s Europa League, will be a key player to watch.

Arsenal is not without their own injury concerns. Captain Martin Odegaard remains out following an injury sustained during international duty, while Bukayo Saka is a doubt after picking up a knock in the Spurs match. On a positive note, Gabriel Jesus and Declan Rice are available for selection.

Both teams will need to navigate their respective injury problems, and this promises to be a closely contested match as Arsenal looks to make a strong start to their European journey in Italy.