Arsenal start their 2026/27 Champions League campaign at Napoli on Wednesday, seeking a stronger run than last season as they continue their pursuit of a first European Cup.
The Gunners have reached the final twice but lost on both occasions. They were beaten by Barcelona in 2006 before suffering a penalty-shootout defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in 2026.
Mikel Arteta’s side travel to Naples in excellent domestic form. Arsenal have won all three of their Premier League matches this season and are second only because Manchester City have scored one more goal.
Their record against Napoli offers further encouragement. The teams have not met in the competition since 2018-19, while Arsenal have won three of their four previous meetings and kept a clean sheet in each of those victories.
Arsenal have conceded only once so far this season. They were also behind for just 42 minutes and 48 seconds during last season’s Champions League campaign and did not lose a match in normal time.
However, their record in Italy is less impressive. Arsenal have won only one of their past six Champions League away games on Italian soil, drawing one and losing four. They failed to score in five of those matches.
Napoli’s home record against English clubs in major European competitions is considerably stronger. They have lost only three of 13 such matches, winning eight and drawing two.
The Italian club’s early-season form has been less convincing, though. They have won only one Serie A match, scoring five goals and conceding five.
Arsenal’s only victory in their past six Champions League trips to Italy came against Inter in January this year. Napoli, meanwhile, were beaten by Chelsea in the first month of 2026. Even so, Napoli have never lost consecutive home matches in the Champions League or European Cup across 37 such fixtures.
De Bruyne provides Napoli threat
Napoli can call on Kevin De Bruyne, who has a notable record against Arsenal. The Belgium international has contributed to 12 goals in his past 17 appearances against the north London club in all competitions, scoring eight and supplying four assists.
He could be among the players best placed to test David Raya, who has kept a clean sheet in 19 of his 36 Champions League starts, a rate of 53%.
That is the highest clean-sheet percentage recorded by any goalkeeper with at least 25 starts in the competition. Raya’s performances were a major factor in Arsenal conceding only seven goals during their 2025/26 Champions League campaign.
Napoli’s forwards will also have to find a way past Gabriel Magalhaes. The Arsenal defender has won 82 of the 121 one-on-one duels he has contested in the Champions League since the beginning of the 2024/25 season.
His 68% success rate is the best among the 174 players to have attempted at least 100 duels during that period. That remains the case even without William Saliba alongside him.
Midfield and attacking battles
Bruno Guimaraes could give Arsenal supporters another opportunity to assess his qualities if he is selected by Arteta. The Newcastle midfielder averaged 2.2 passes that broke the defensive line per game in last season’s competition, more than any other player who played at least 300 minutes.
Rasmus Højlund will also relish the chance to face a former Manchester United rival, although Napoli must improve collectively after their weekend defeat by Inter.
Napoli led 2-0 after 53 minutes, with Højlund among the scorers, but somehow lost 3-2. That collapse gives Max Allegri’s side an unwelcome backdrop before their European opener.
Although defeat in the first match of a Champions League campaign is not necessarily decisive, the opening result can establish momentum. Three points would provide an important boost in confidence for either team.
With both sides possessing genuine strengths and clear opportunities to claim a positive result, the meeting in Naples promises to be a compelling start to Arsenal’s latest attempt to win the Champions League.