Atalanta vs Arsenal Champions League | League Stage - Live Match, Team News, Match Summary & Highlights
Arsenal will play their first away game of the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League on Thursday when they travel to Bergamo to play Atalanta. Last season, the Gunners advanced to the quarterfinals of Europe's premier cup competition.
After six seasons away from the Champions League, Arsenal returned to the competition last autumn when they won four of their six games to finish first in Group B, ahead of PSV Eindhoven, Lens, and Sevilla.
They subsequently defeated Porto on penalties to get to the quarterfinals, where they were defeated by Bayern Munich. Despite this setback, the Gunners showed that they are still an elite squad under current manager Mikel Arteta.
Along with multiple second-place finishes in the Premier League, Arteta's team advanced to the final eight of the Champions League for the first time in fourteen years, having previously reached the round of eight under Arsene Wenger.
Match Details: NAME: Atalanta vs Arsenal DATE: Sep 19, 2024 TIME: 8pm UK VENUE: Gewiss Stadium
Live Match
Atalanta vs Arsenal Team News
Atalanta Team News
Due to long-term injuries, Atalanta will be without key players Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini. Additionally, Rafael Toloi (muscular) and Ben Godfrey (back) will not be playing for Atalanta after missing the team's victory over Fiorentina.
Both Albanian international Berat Djimsiti and Arsenal great Sead Kolasinac have recovered from thigh injuries. Kolasinac played 80 Premier League games for the club. Additionally, on Sunday, forward Nicolo Zaniolo, who is prone to absences, was back on the bench.
Arsenal Team News
In front of his team's first Champions League match, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta may welcome back Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori and midfield dynamo Declan Rice, who was suspended on Sunday.
Most notably, summer signing Mikel Merino hasn't played since hurting his shoulder in his first practice, while captain Martin Odegaard is out with an ankle ailment.
After being substituted out of the North London derby, England winger Bukayo Saka became the latest casualty for the Gunners. However, he trained on Wednesday and is expected to be available: Saka contributed directly to eight goals in nine Champions League games for Arsenal in the previous season, which was the most of any Englishman in their first year of play.
While Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), and Kieran Tierney (thigh) are out of the contention, Gabriel Jesus made an appearance as a late substitute over the weekend after overcoming a thigh issue.