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Arsenal Favored Over Napoli as Champions League Group Stage Opens in Naples

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Arsenal Favored Over Napoli as Champions League Group Stage Opens in Naples
Photo: Massimiliano Allegri took over from Antonio Conte as Napoli coach in the summer [Matteo Ciambelli/Reuters]

Napoli will host Arsenal on Wednesday at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples, Italy, with kickoff set for 9pm local time (1900 GMT), as both clubs begin their UEFA Champions League campaigns.

The fixture pits Serie A's reigning former champion against the Premier League title holder. Arsenal ended a 22-year wait to win the English top flight last season and also reached the Champions League final, where they lost to Paris Saint-Germain. Napoli, meanwhile, lost their Serie A crown to Inter Milan last season but remain one of Europe's most formidable sides.

Napoli enter the match after a difficult run domestically, having been eliminated in the Champions League league phase last season after finishing 30th of 36 teams. New head coach Massimiliano Allegri, who replaced Antonio Conte, said his side needs 12 points to secure qualification. "We know we're up against a team that has just won the Premier League and reached the final of this competition," Allegri said, praising Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for organizing a defense that concedes few goals. Allegri also reflected on his own experience in two Champions League finals with Juventus, both of which ended in defeat.

Napoli have lost their last two Serie A matches, falling to Como and then Inter Milan 3-2 over the weekend.

Arsenal, by contrast, arrive on a four-game winning streak. They opened their season by beating Manchester City 3-0 in the Community Shield, before defeating Coventry, Aston Villa and Chelsea in the Premier League. The Gunners have scored nine goals while conceding only one, reinforcing their reputation as possessing the best defense in the competition and making them among the favorites to win the tournament.

According to the Opta supercomputer, Arsenal hold a 52 percent chance of winning the match, compared to just 22 percent for Napoli.

This will mark the fifth meeting between the two clubs, with Arsenal winning three of the previous four encounters. Their history includes two Champions League clashes in 2013 (Arsenal won 2-0 at home, Napoli won 2-0 in the return leg) and two Europa League meetings in 2019 (Arsenal won 2-0 at home, then won 1-0 away).

Napoli face midfield selection problems for the match. Scott McTominay is unavailable after undergoing a surgical procedure on Tuesday to treat an irregular heartbeat, while Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa is out with a physical issue. Allegri confirmed that Kevin De Bruyne, Billy Gilmour, Stanislav Lobotka and Antonio Vergara will compete for three midfield spots.

Napoli's predicted starting lineup: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Marin, Rrahmani, Spinazzola; De Bruyne, Lobotka, Gilmour; Politano, Hojlund, Santos.

For Arsenal, Cristhian Mosquera has not traveled to Naples due to a muscular injury that also kept him out of the Aston Villa match. Jurrien Timber is continuing his recovery from a groin injury and could feature on the bench, while William Saliba remains sidelined with a back problem. Bruno Guimaraes, an unused substitute at the weekend, is nearing full fitness.

Arsenal's predicted starting lineup: Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz.

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