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Arsenal begin Champions League campaign with draw away to Atalanta
Raya makes extraordinary double save - including keeping out penalty - to earn Gunners draw
Monaco stun 10-man Barcelona, plus wins for Atletico Madrid & Brest
Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal
Rio Ferdinand
Former Man Utd defender on TNT Sports
If Atalanta get the ball in the box a little bit earlier they will have more opportunities. The movement of Mateo Retegui is so clever and cute, he is always on the move and that makes it so hard for the Arsenal defenders to keep track of him.
Image source, Getty ImagesRetegui joined Atalanta from Genoa in the summer
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Paul: We were never going to turn up and roll Atalanta over. They’re a decent side who are reigning Europa League champions and took apart a previously unbeaten leverkusen side to win that trophy. Need to do more in attack though
Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal
Will we see a goal?
Away we go.
HT: Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal
Ian Dennis
BBC Radio 5 Live senior football reporter at the Gewiss Stadium
Mikel Arteta cut a frustrated figure towards the end of the first half particularly at Thomas Partey for giving the ball away.
Solid in defence limiting Atalanta, but a cautious performance in attack.
The Italian side have failed to score only once in their last 24 home games v Liverpool.
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Matt in London is right - people forget we signed Merino who is clearly designed to start alongside Odegaard. That we won at Spurs without the two of them AND Rice surely proves the strength in depth?
Mick the Gooner
HT: Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal
Rio Ferdinand
Former Man Utd defender on TNT Sports
A feature of Arsenal's play this season is getting back behind the ball as quickly as possible. Forget the ball, just get back into shape as quickly as you can. Then the opposition have to be almost perfect to cut through them but they are so compact it is virtually impossible.
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I am interested to hear from the Arsenal fans who have spent decades criticising all other winning teams for being boring whilst their team was winning nothing. And now, have they worked out that they are the really, really dull team to watch? Sit back and wait for set pieces. Thrilling.
Richard, London
HT: Monaco 1-1 Barcelona
Nattamai: Lamine Yamal's first #UCL, external goal that too in presence of #michaeljordan, external makes the Barcelona winger the second youngest goalscorer in the competition's history
Image source, Getty ImagesHT: Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal
Nedum Onuoha
Former Man City defender on BBC Radio 5 Live
As you look at the Atalanta side there are times they go man-to-man and Arsenal haven't found a way to exploit that.
This is a game that Arsenal should have more possession, they should potentially create some rotations and link-ups - it feels like a safe performance from Arsenal.
Image source, Getty ImagesMonaco 1-1 Barcelona, Atletico Madrid 1-1 RB Leipzig, Brest 1-1 Sturm Graz
Barcelona had Eric Garcia sent off after 10 minutes and then fell behind to a goal from Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche, only for 17-year-old Lamine Yamal to equalise.
It's 1-1 in Madrid too with Atletico's Antoine Griezmann cancelling out an early goal from RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko.
Hugo Magnetti had put Brest ahead versus Sturm Graz, but the Austrians gained a fortune leveller just before the break courtesy of an own goal from Edimilson Fernandes.
All four of the 20:00 BST kick-offs are level.
HT: Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal
Leon Osman
Former Everton and England midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live
The story of the half is two teams that are trying to push forward, but are vary wary of being caught out at the other end.
Both teams have had half opportunities, it took a brilliant save to keep out the Saka free-kick. Both managers will be asking for that little bit more.
Both teams have been slightly sloppy.
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Arsenal are defending great... but at some point they've got to start attacking surely.... need a goal from either side to liven this up
James, Thrapston
Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal
A game that's crying out for a goal.
Image source, Getty ImagesAtalanta 0-0 Arsenal
Good work by Gabriel Jesus who chests down on the edge of the box but Arsenal cannot create an opening. Both teams are cancelling one another out.
Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal
David Raya has not had a save to make.
I think you might be right, Tom!
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Are the Atalanta fans really singing a tune to Auld Lang Syne? Am I going mad?
Tom, Galashiels
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Atalanta fans also proudly produced this tifo before kick-off
Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal
Leon Osman
Former Everton and England midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live
When you come away from home and you get to half-time and it's 0-0 you are obviously content.
Arsenal have felt comfortable and come off it a yard. If you do that at this level then the opposition will take that momentum.
Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal
Let's be honest, this isn't edge of your seat stuff.
Goalmouth incidents are at a minimum.
Still, Mikel Arteta will be pleased with his team's efforts.
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Gary (20:30) clearly didn't read Matt's comment. Merino - out. Odegaard - out. Zinchenko - out. Caliafori - just recovered for bench. Jesus - just recovered to start. Tomiyasu - out. Tierney- out (not a starter but solid depth when available). Did you see our bench this weekend? Our bench tonight?
David
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 3 |
| |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| |
| 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| |
| 6 | Sparta Prague | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
|
| 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| |
| 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| |
| 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| |
| 10 | Sporting CP | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
|
| 11 | Benfica | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
|
| 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| |
| 13 | Brest | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
|
| 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| |
| 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| |
| 16 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| 17 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| 18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| |
| 20 | Bologna | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
| 21 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
| 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| |
| 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| |
| 24 | Sturm Graz | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
|
| 25 | Red Star Belgrade | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
|
| 26 | Girona | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
|
| 27 | PSV | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
|
| 28 | Stuttgart | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
|
| 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
| |
| 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| |
| 31 | Club Brugge | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
|
| 32 | Red Bull Salzburg | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
|
| 33 | Young Boys | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
|
| 34 | Slovan Bratislava | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |
|
| 35 | Feyenoord | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 |
|
| 36 | Dinamo Zagreb | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 9 | -7 | 0 |
|
Manager: Gian Piero Gasperini
Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1
Manager: Mikel Arteta
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Manager: Gian Piero Gasperini
Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1
Manager: Mikel Arteta
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
UEFA Champions League
All competitions
Atalanta have never previously faced Arsenal in any competition. The Gunners will be the fifth English side they have met in major European competition, after Everton (W2), Man City (D1 L1), Liverpool (W2 L2) and Man Utd (D1 L1).
Arsenal have lost their last three away UEFA Champions League games in Italy, although this is their first trip there since 2013. Those defeats came at Roma (0-1 in 2009), Milan (0-4 in 2012) and Napoli (0-2 in 2013).
Atalanta’s last four UEFA Champions League games – all in the 2021-22 group stage – have seen both them and their opponents score two or more goals (D2 L2). In the entire history of the European Cup, no side has ever both scored and conceded 2+ goals in five consecutive matches.
Arsenal have won their opening match in each of their last six major European campaigns (five in UEFA Europa League and last season’s Champions League). The last side to beat the Gunners in their first game was Dinamo Zagreb in the 2015-16 Champions League.
The 2023/24 UEFA Europa League final – won 3-0 by his side – was Gian Piero Gasperini’s 50th game in charge of Atalanta in major European competition (excluding qualifiers). Gasperini has won just under half of those (48%), with 24 victories from 50 matches (D14 L12).
Only Atlético Madrid (+6.16) overperformed their xG total by a higher figure than Arsenal in last season’s UEFA Champions League (+5.49 – 19 goals from an xG of 13.51), while the Gunners also posted the third-highest shot conversion rate in the competition last term (15.7%), behind only Manchester United (16.9%) and Atlético de Madrid (16.8%).
Atalanta’s 23 UEFA Champions League matches have seen 3.6 goals per game (40 for, 43 against), the second-most of any team to feature 20+ times in the competition, behind Viktoria Plzen (3.8 per game).
Bukayo Saka was involved in eight goals in nine UEFA Champions League appearances for Arsenal in 2023-24 (4 goals, 4 assists), the most by an Englishman in their debut season, breaking the record set by Lee Bowyer for Leeds United in 2000-01 (6 goals, 1 assist).
Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman scored five times in his final three UEFA Europa League starts last season, including a hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen. Lookman’s never scored in four career appearances against Arsenal, while his only UEFA Champions League appearance was in October 2019 for RB Leipzig against Zenit.
Raheem Sterling could make his UEFA Champions League debut for Arsenal in this game and would become the first player in European Cup history to play for four different English teams, having previously played for Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea. The other four players to play for three are David Batty (Leeds, Blackburn, Newcastle), Yossi Benayoun (Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea), William Gallas (Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs) and Kolo Touré (Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool).
