Arsenal Champions League Recap and What Comes Next

The Champions League’s initial phase (well, excluding previous qualifying rounds) has finished and as far as the Gunners are concerned it has been a job very well done. In this article, we will take a look back at Arsenal’s eight league-phase clashes, before looking ahead to see what comes next.

Mikel Arteta’s side finished third out of the 36 teams that played in the league, earning valuable co-efficient points for English teams in the race to earn an extra Champions league spot next term. With Liverpool topping the pile, Chelsea doing likewise in the Europa Conference League, and Man United doing well in the Europa League, it looks highly likely that fifth place in this term’s PL will earn a spot in the 2025/26 Champions League.

The Gunners are pretty certain of a top four, and the mob that play in white are being especially Spursy this term, and will do well to finish in the top half, so we don’t even need to have mixed feelings about helping earn a Champions League spot for Bournemouth, Newcastle, or whoever it might be. Happy days! But how did Arsenal’s eight games go, and what happens next – and when?

Champions League Recap


Arsenal would have been very hopeful of finishing inside the top eight and earning themselves an automatic place in the last 16, without having to play in the two-legged play-off round. By making the top eight they save themselves two extra fixtures, and with the games coming really thick and fast in February (five in 25 days between the 2nd and 26th) that might be a big deal.

Arteta and co face a tough task in the return leg of their EFL Cup semi but they can now at least give it their all. The same applies to their league fixtures too, with them needing every bit of luck and help they can get if they are to have any chance of overhauling Liverpool.

They got their Champions League campaign underway with a 0-0 draw away at Atalanta, a decent result given the Italians won the Europa League last term, are currently third in Serie A and ended up ninth overall. Next they earnt a great win over PSG at the Emirates, goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka giving them a 2-0 win.

Their third match was at home and brought another clean sheet, a 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk seeing them keep pace near the top of the table. They lost their matchweek four game however, going down 1-0 to a dogged Inter in Italy thanks to a penalty. However, following that result they produced a stellar display away in Portugal, winning 5-1 against Sporting. In the round prior the Portuguese had battered City 4-1, so it really was an impressive victory and boosted their goal difference too.

They were in the goals again in the following round, winning 3-0 at home against Monaco. We then had the festive break, with no more Champions League action for over a month until mid-January but the Gunners were certainly not rusty. Another clean sheet, another three goals, another three points, and Dinamo Zagreb dismissed. Arteta’s side finished with a win, making sure of a top-eight place, by beating Girona 2-1 in Spain, and they can now look forward to a break from this competition until March. But what happens next, and who might they play?

Play-Off Draw

After the games were finished on Wednesday the 29th we knew which teams were joining Arsenal in the last 16. We also knew who had placed ninth to 24th and would be involved in the play-offs. Due to the new format using a seeding system and predetermined bracket, rather than a fresh draw for each round, we also had an idea of who could play who, but now things are somewhat clearer.

The play-off draw took place on the 31st of January and whilst before we knew that Man City would face either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid – what terrible luck! – we now know that it will be the Spanish giants that they must face. As such, either City or Real will be eliminated prior to the last 16, something that was probably inconceivable at the start of the tournament and that has to count as a major, major surprise.

The play-offs will take place on the 11th and 12th of February, with return fixtures on the 18th and 19th. The full draw is as follows:

  1. Brest v PSG
  2. Club Brugge v Atalanta
  3. Man City v Real Madrid
  4. Juventus v PSV Eindhoven
  5. Feyenoord v Milan
  6. Celtic v Bayern Munich
  7. Sporting Lisbon v Borussia Dortmund
  8. Monaco v Benfica

What About Arsenal?

Arsenal in the Champions League
Kieran Clarke | Flickr.com – CC BY 2.0

Arsenal will be waiting for the round of 16 draw, due to take place on the 21st of February. The games will then follow on the 4th and 5th of March, and the 11th and 12th of the same month. However, due to the aforementioned bracket format, we already know that the Gunners will face the winner of match four or five from the fixtures above.

So, it could be Juventus, PSV, Feyenoord, or Milan. Two Dutch giants or two Italian ones, with the latter pair sure to start favourites in both ties and the prospect of a Milan derby in the last 16 ahead. So on the 19th, we will narrow those four possible options down to two, before the draw on the 21st decides who the Gunners must face.

And Then What?

Champions League winner odds
Odds only correct at the time of posting

Once again, due to the way the tournament is functioning this year, we already know what sort of route the Gunners might have to the final, which takes place on the 31st of May in Munich. They are currently the joint second favourites, priced at 6/1, alongside Barca, just behind Liverpool (4/1).

Assuming they come through a last 16 tie with (probably) Milan or Juve, they would have a chance of facing Real, Man City, Bayern, Atletico Madrid, or even possibly Bayer Leverkusen or Celtic. A tough gig for sure. After that things open up into the other half of the draw, meaning a semi against Liverpool, Barcelona or PSG are most likely, though teams such as Villa, Dortmund and Atalanta are other possible opponents.