- The Napoli vs Arsenal prediction article for 2026/27 Champions League breaks down form, key players, odds and H2H meetings ahead of the League Phase clash.
- The two sides will lock horns on Wednesday September 9, at the Stadio Diego Armado Maradona
- Kick off set for 10pm EAT.
Arsenal are back in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night when they visit Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, as they look to go one step further than they did last season.
It was a heartbreaking moment last season for the English reigning champions, who are yet to taste Champions League silverware after it eluded them in the final last May.
They suffered a painful 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain after the two sides drew 1-1 over 120 minutes.
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It will be another season to really look forward to for the Gunners, who have continued climbing over the last three campaigns.
Having reached the quarter-finals in 2023/24, then the semi-finals in 2024/25, Arsenal made it all the way to the final in 2025/26.
Now, in 2026/27, they could finally turn their long-standing dream into reality.
While the memory of that showpiece loss lingers, Arsenal’s response at the beginning of the 2026/27 campaign has been flawless.
They have won all four of their competitive fixtures to start the season, including capturing the Community Shield with a dominant 3-0 victory over Manchester City before grinding out a gritty 2-1 league win against Chelsea last weekend.
Arteta’s men arrive in Naples boasting an elite defensive structure that has conceded just one domestic goal so far, an organisational solidity that Massimiliano Allegri openly praised ahead of the match.
Meanwhile, Napoli, who are making their fourth UCL appearance in five seasons, are enduring a bumpy transition under Allegri, who replaced Antonio Conte this summer.
Despite opening their Serie A campaign with a solid 2-0 win away to Genoa, the Italian side has since spiralled down to 12th in the domestic standings following consecutive defeats.
They shockingly lost their only home match 2-1 to newly promoted Como, which was immediately followed by a catastrophic collapse at the San Siro on Saturday, where they threw away a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 against reigning Scudetto holders Inter Milan.
What time does Napoli vs Arsenal kick off?
The two sides will lock horns on Wednesday, September 9, at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, with kick-off set for 10pm East Africa Time.
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Napoli vs Arsenal team news and predicted lineups
The hosts enter the clash severely depleted in midfield, heavily complicating Allegri’s plans.
Former Manchester United man Scott McTominay is sidelined for up to a month after undergoing surgery on Tuesday to correct an irregular heartbeat, while André-Frank Zambo Anguissa is out with an adductor injury.
With Alessandro Buongiorno and Luca Marianucci also out with long-term knee problems, Allegri will lean heavily on Kevin De Bruyne, Stanislav Lobotka and Billy Gilmour to anchor the middle of the pitch.
Arsenal face defensive depth issues of their own, as star centre-back William Saliba remains unavailable due to a lingering back injury.
Fellow defender Cristhian Mosquera did not travel with the squad after picking up a muscular injury, though full-back Jurrien Timber has progressed in his recovery from a groin issue and could make the substitutes’ bench.
Napoli vs Arsenal predicted lineups
- Napoli: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Marin, Rrahmani, Spinazzola; De Bruyne, Lobotka, Gilmour; Politano, Hojlund, Santos.
- Arsenal: Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz.
Napoli vs Arsenal head-to-head record and recent meetings
Arsenal have won three of the sides’ four previous meetings, with Napoli triumphing in the other.
After Arsenal won 2-0 in London and Napoli claimed a 2-0 victory in Naples during the 2013/14 group stage, the Gunners went on to dominate their next meetings in the 2018/19 UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, winning 2-0 at home and 1-0 away.
Most recent meetings
- Apr 18, 2019: Napoli 0-1 Arsenal (Europa League)
- Apr 11, 2019: Arsenal 2-0 Napoli (Europa League)
- Dec 11, 2013: Napoli 2-0 Arsenal (Champions League)
- Oct 1, 2013: Arsenal 2-0 Napoli (Champions League)
Napoli vs Arsenal prediction and betting tips
Napoli have lost just two of their last 21 home Champions League games (W12 D7), but one of those defeats came in their most recent outing against Chelsea in January.
Arsenal have lost only one of their previous seven games against Italian opponents anywhere (W5 D1).
However, they have triumphed in just one of their last six games on Italian soil in the Champions League, although that victory came in January when they beat Inter Milan 3-1.
Napoli have also lost their last three Champions League matches against English teams, including a 2-0 defeat at Manchester City on Matchday 1 last season and a 3-2 home loss to Chelsea on Matchday 8.
This should be a very tight contest between the two sides, with Arsenal’s defensive strength likely to see them looking for the simplest route to victory and making them the favorites to win on the road.
But Napoli are at home, and they will be eager to prove a point and kick off their campaign on a high note.
We should expect goals in this encounter.