It is indisputable that Arsenal is now considered one of the elite clubs in European and World football. The English Premier League may have become more competitive in recent years – and the Champions League is full of clubs with far more money to spend on the best players – but the Gunners can go up against anyone and expect to win.
It is, therefore, somewhat surprising for some outside of the club to realize that Arsenal has not won a major trophy since 2020. There have been a couple of Community Shield victories since that FA Cup triumph but most seasons have ended in disappointment. You have to go back over 20 years for the last time Arsenal won the league, with the Champions League final defeat to Barcelona coming two seasons later.
For one of the most impressive clubs in the game, Arsenal hasn’t actually won a lot of note for a while. Three successive runners-up finishes in the EPL highlight the financial might of Arsenal’s rivals – and that gulf in wealth is repeated in continental competition. After knocking out Real Madrid last year, Mikel Arteta’s side came up against a PSG side that was finally living up to its potential. So, if you were thinking of placing a football bet on the Champions League winner for 2025-26, should Arsenal be on the list?
Last Season
Arsenal could not have done much better last season in the Champions League. In the newly expanded format that was supposed to benefit the bigger clubs, many of the pre-season favorites struggled. With eight teams automatically qualifying for the round of 16, Real Madrid, Bayern, and PSG all required an extra playoff tie to progress – and Manchester City was knocked out without even reaching the knockout rounds proper.
Arsenal lost just one of its eight games, of course, with six wins and one draw, meaning that only Liverpool and Barcelona did better. The early knockout rounds offered little trouble, with that 7-1 win in Eindhoven making the second leg against PSV a mere formality. Then came the memorable victory over Real Madrid, leaving just PSG standing in the way of a second-ever Champions League final. We all know how that ended, but the performances proved that the Gunners could compete in Europe’s most prestigious competition.
New Arrivals
The summer transfer window will remain open until the end of August but it is clear that Arsenal have been one of the most successful clubs this year. Finishing second in the EPL and reaching the last four of the Champions League has to be considered as an achievement, but there were obvious places where Arteta could strengthen the squad.
Before we talk about any new arrivals, getting both Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri to extend their contracts until 2030 was a major coup. These highly talented young players had attracted the attention of a number of top clubs and they should both boost Arsenal’s chances of winning something this season.
It is not as though there are not also some very exciting new players in the squad, however. The signing of Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting might have been on the cards for a while but bringing in a proven goal scorer to a squad that had been crying out for one is a huge plus. He is exactly the type of striker that could light up the EPL – and he should prosper in the Champions League as well.
Other players, like Martin Zubimendi, Christian Nørgaard, and even Noni Madueke will all improve the team – and its chances of going further in Europe. With Eberechi Eze on the verge of arriving at the Emirates too – at the time of writing – the Gunners look set to have an exciting squad that should go far.
Potential Rivals
When it comes to which clubs might get in the way of an inaugural Arsenal Champions League triumph, there are some very familiar faces. Manchester City will surely do better than last year, with Liverpool also likely to remain involved into the later rounds. PSG will not have quite the surprise factor of last season but will still compete as well.
Real Madrid and Barcelona can never be disregarded when it comes to this competition, with the likes of Bayern, Inter, and Juventus also all realistic contenders. Even in this group, however, there is an elite top tier – and Arsenal can claim to be a member of that distinguished number.
League and Europe Priorities
One of the biggest challenges to any top team is how to prioritize the myriad of competitions that exist these days. For a club like PSG, things are a little easier. Dominating Ligue 1 in the way it does, Luis Enrique could throw everything he had in search of European glory. Bayern has much the same experience in Germany. For Arsenal, it is a little different.
Manchester City has won a number of league titles in recent years, so could have been forgiven for concentrating on the Champions League (although last season was a disaster on all fronts), but Arsenal fans would dearly love to be Premier League champions after a 22-year wait. Arteta has juggled these priorities well in recent years, though, so a continuation of his process should be expected.
Arsenal: Champions League Winners?
Ultimately, there is no reason why Arsenal cannot win the Champions League this season. A lot will depend on how the league challenge goes – and what the draw for the knockout rounds throws up (assuming the league phase is completed successfully).
Gunners fans have been desperate to celebrate a Champions League victory and there is a real chance that there could be one soon. Maybe this season the wait will end.