Arsenal's European Journey: Scarred but Ready for Action

Arsenal head back into Europe with scars and swagger in equal measure.

Last season they ripped through the league phase, winning all eight matches and refusing to lose inside 90 minutes at any stage of the competition. They went all the way to a penalty shootout in the final in Budapest against Paris Saint-Germain, only to see the trophy slip away from 12 yards. It still stings.

Now the climb starts again. Naples, Wednesday night. A hostile city, a fresh campaign, and a manager ready to lean on the depth he has spent years building.

Arteta ready to rotate his arsenal

Mikel Arteta is expected to shuffle his pack. Not out of uncertainty, but because he can.

Bruno Guimaraes did not feature for a single minute in the win over Chelsea, nursing a knock, and that opens the door for Martin Zubimendi to anchor the midfield. Zubimendi’s calm on the ball and positional discipline give Arteta the option to control the tempo away from home, rather than chase it.

Higher up the pitch, there are more big calls. Eberechi Eze is pushing hard for a start on the left, his creativity and one‑on‑one threat offering something different against a side likely to sit deep in spells, then spring forward. Viktor Gyokeres is also in line for a first start of the season if Arteta decides Kai Havertz’s minutes need to be managed. Gyokeres brings raw power and direct running; Havertz offers subtle movement and link play. Two very different ways to lead a European away performance.

Defensive dilemmas and returning faces

At the back, Arsenal are still without William Saliba, whose back injury keeps him in the long‑term absentee column. Jurrien Timber has yet to play a single minute this season but is edging closer, his return now a matter of timing rather than hope. Cristhian Mosquera remains a doubt with a muscle problem, so the defensive options are not as plentiful as Arteta might like.

That points again to Ezri Konsa partnering Gabriel, just as they did in the win over Chelsea on Sunday. Konsa’s composure and Gabriel’s aggression have quickly formed a functional, no‑nonsense pairing that suits tricky away nights.

If Arteta does tweak anything, it is likely to be at left-back. Riccardo Calafiori has been superb in the opening weeks of the season, offering incision in attack and bite in defence, but his Arsenal career has already been punctured by injuries. With another demanding European run ahead, the staff are wary of overloading him.

Piero Hincapie, the only defender named on the bench against Chelsea, stands ready. The Ecuadorian’s versatility and comfort stepping into midfield make him an obvious candidate to start in Naples if Calafiori is protected.

Arsenal arrive in Italy with memories of Budapest still fresh and a squad built to go one step further. The question now is simple: can this rotation-heavy, star-studded group turn last season’s near miss into something far more ruthless?