Arsenal's European Ambitions: Changes Ahead for Napoli Clash
Arsenal head back into Europe with a familiar itch to scratch.
Last season they tore through the league phase, eight wins from eight, untouchable over 90 minutes across the entire competition. Nobody put them away in normal time. Not once. Paris Saint-Germain only managed it from the spot, edging that penalty shootout in the final in Budapest that still stings around London Colney.
Now the climb starts again, under the lights in Naples on Wednesday. Same ambition. Slightly different route.
Arteta ready to rotate in Naples
Mikel Arteta knows this group can go the distance. He also knows he has the depth to treat a long European campaign like a marathon, not a sprint.
That is why changes are coming.
Bruno Guimaraes, who carried a knock into the Chelsea game, did not play a single minute in that win. The medical staff have kept a close eye on him, and the logical knock-on is that Martin Zubimendi is primed to step into midfield. Fresh legs, same level of control.
Higher up the pitch, the competition for places sharpens. Eberechi Eze has watched on long enough and will fancy this as his moment to nail down that left flank. He brings something different there: drift, flair, risk. If Arteta wants a more unpredictable edge against Napoli, Eze fits the brief.
Up front, the big call revolves around Kai Havertz. The German has already carried a heavy load this season. With the schedule tightening, Viktor Gyokeres is pushing hard for his first start of the campaign. Arteta may decide this is exactly the right night to manage Havertz’s minutes and unleash the Swede from the first whistle.
Defensive jigsaw and one big decision
At the back, the picture is clearer but no less delicate.
William Saliba is still out for the long haul with a back injury, a problem Arsenal have had to learn to live with rather than solve overnight. Jurrien Timber has yet to play a single minute this season, though his return edges closer, the kind that could reshape this defence once he is fully ready.
Cristhian Mosquera remains a doubt with a muscle issue, which tightens Arteta’s options. It also explains why Ezri Konsa is again expected to partner Gabriel, just as he did in the win over Chelsea on Sunday. That pairing brought stability then; Arteta will want the same in Naples.
If there is to be a tweak, it almost certainly comes at left-back.
Riccardo Calafiori has been outstanding in the early weeks, one of the standout performers of Arsenal’s start. But his Arsenal career has already been punctuated by injury concerns, and the staff will not gamble with his workload in September when they need him in March and April.
That is where Piero Hincapie steps in. He was the only defender on the bench against Chelsea, a clear sign of how stretched that area is and how trusted he has become. With rotation on the cards and caution around Calafiori, there is every chance Hincapie walks out as a starter in Naples.
Arsenal know exactly how far they went last season. The question now is simple: can this deeper, tougher squad take that final step they missed in Budapest?
