Arsenal’s Tough Champions League Start | Sports News

Arsenal’s Champions League opener hits the ground running as they travel to Napoli’s fiery Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, facing a tough test right out of the gate. Manager Mikel Arteta must decide between rotating his squad or sticking with the same core that powered them to last season’s group stage glory — but falling short in the final means no room for complacency. With Bruno Guimaraes sidelined, Zubimendi steps into midfield alongside Rice, while Gyokeres could debut up front if Havertz rests. Defense remains tight: Saliba and Timber are out, Mosquera doubtful, leaving Konsa paired with Gabriel. Calafiori’s injury history keeps him on the bench. The likely XI? Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Hincapie; Rice, Zubimendi, Odegaard; Saka, Eze, Gyokeres. Kick-off: 8 PM Wednesday, September 9, 2026. No warm-up — just pure pressure. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/d7ad7e059ae880b2