Arsenal tonight begin their Champions League campaign in rather difficult fashion. It is another difficult away game for the Gunners, who head into their trip to Atalanta tonight off the back of a win at Tottenham last weekend before Sunday’s journey to Manchester City.
Mikel Arteta’s side did manage to make significant progress in this competition last season. While their quarter-final exit at the hands of a reasonably poor Bayern Munich outfit was disappointing, it was still the first time the club had been at that stage of the competition since 2010 and represented a major sign of progress.
Europa League winners Atalanta made light work of Liverpool last season and look a dangerous opponent for the Gunners and one packed with European nous, who face the likes of PSG and Inter Milan later in the revamped league stage. Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog!
21:52 , Jonathan Gorrie
It’s over! A decent point for Arsenal and David Raya to thank for it.
21:48 , Jonathan Gorrie
90 mins: 4 minutes added on here and little to report about.
21:45 , Jonathan Gorrie
86 mins: Brilliant tackle from Saliba to deny Lookman before Arsenal clear the resulting corner.
21:44 , Jonathan Gorrie
85 mins: The hosts seeing an awful lot of the ball in closing stages but Arsenal are not giving them an inch.
21:39 , Jonathan Gorrie
Arsenal not clicked going forward all night and they are clearly missing Odegaard. Sterling on for the final 15 minutes, perhaps he can inject something?
21:33 , Jonathan Gorrie
75 mins: Sterling plays a great ball through to Martinelli but the Brazilian never looks settled and blazes over.
21:32 , Jonathan Gorrie
75 mins: Cuadrado now curls one around the post!
21:31 , Jonathan Gorrie
72 mins: Calafiori and Sterling on for Timber and Saka.
21:29 , Jonathan Gorrie
70 mins: Arsenal look happy enough with a point here. It’s not as if they’re sitting back Jose Mourinho style but they don’t appear to want to risk too much.
21:25 , Jonathan Gorrie
66 mins: Cuadrado cuts inside and sends a shot just over.
Atalanta going for it here.
21:14 , Jonathan Gorrie
55 mins: Saka plays in White, who pulls a ball back into the penalty area but Atalanta clear lines.
21:11 , Jonathan Gorrie
Not sure how, but in the space of a month Raya has bettered his heroic save against Ollie Watkins. Remarkable goalkeeping.
21:10 , Jonathan Gorrie
50 mins: SAVED!
Raya denies Retegui! A tame penalty but the save on the follow up was remarkable! He gets up off the floor to scoop a header off the line!
21:07 , Jonathan Gorrie
48 mins: Penalty confirmed!
21:06 , Jonathan Gorrie
47 mins: PENALTY TO ATALANTA!
Partey brings down Ederson. VAR checking…
21:04 , Jonathan Gorrie
Back underway!
20:51 , Jonathan Gorrie
This has the feel of the first leg of a knockout tie, not an opening group game. Neither side is really throwing any punches and it’s very cagey.
20:49 , Jonathan Gorrie
Nothing to split the sides at the break!
20:42 , Jonathan Gorrie
39 mins: Cagey would be a generous way of describing the action thus far, though Arsenal do deserve credit for how they’ve managed the game.
20:37 , Jonathan Gorrie
35 mins: Arsenal have largely regained control now, albeit without creating many chances.
20:31 , Jonathan Gorrie
Gabriel Jesus leading the line tonight, but it’s noticeable how he is switching with Kai Havertz at times – particularly when Arsenal look to go long. Havertz is such a good target man.
20:31 , Jonathan Gorrie
28 mins: Atalanta starting to see a lot of the ball now but they cannot work a position from which to get it into the box.
20:26 , Jonathan Gorrie
22 mins: Even when Atalanta look to counter, Arsenal revert to their shape and snuff out the danger.
A really mature performance thus far.
20:20 , Jonathan Gorrie
18 mins: The hosts coming into it a touch more now but yet to truly test Raya.
Arsenal, for the most part, look in control.
20:15 , Jonathan Gorrie
A very bright start from Arsenal, who look unfazed by what Jorginho described as a “hot atmosphere” yesterday. Saka, in particular, causing problems out right.
20:15 , Jonathan Gorrie
13 mins: Clever free-kick from Saka to bend it under the wall but Carnesecchi gets down to it well.
20:11 , Jonathan Gorrie
09 mins: It would be fair to say the hosts haven’t settled just yet. They cannot keep the ball.
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06 mins: Decent run from deep from Havertz but the German shoots just wide.
20:06 , Jonathan Gorrie
04 mins: Rice swings in the corner but its dealt with well.
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03 mins: Good pass from Partey into Jesus, who turns well and lays it off to Saka but his shot is deflected out for a corner.
20:04 , Jonathan Gorrie
02 mins: Arsenal seeing a lot of the ball in the opening stages.
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Kick-off!
19:49 , Jonathan Gorrie
Mikel Arteta’s pre-match message…
19:27 , Jonathan Gorrie
A look at what awaits the players!
19:17 , Jonathan Gorrie
Great to see Bukayo Saka line up in Italy this evening and the forward was forced off towards the end of the north London derby.
19:00 , Jonathan Gorrie
Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, Partey, Rice, Havertz, Saka, Martinelli, Jesus
Subs: Neto, Porter, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Kiwior, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Gower, S. Oulad-M’Hand, Trossard, Sterling, Butler-Oyedeji
18:59 , Jonathan Gorrie
Atalanta XI: Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, De Roon, Ederson, Ruggeri; De Ketelaere, Retegui, Lookman
Subs: Patricio, Rossi, Kossounou, Cuadrado, Pasalic, Zaniolo, Bellanova, Samadrdzic, Palestra, Brescianini, Vlahovic, De Lungo
18:36 , Jonathan Gorrie
The Europa League holders are ready!
18:25 , Jonathan Gorrie
Sead Kolasinac knows he will be facing a side full of confidence when Atalanta host his former club Arsenal in the Champions League.
Kolasinac made 118 appearances over five seasons with the Gunners but he was a victim of boss Mikel Arteta’s squad trimming in 2022 and moved to Marseille.
The 31-year-old Bosnia-Herzegovina defender joined Serie A side Atalanta last summer and helped them win the Europa League.
But Kolasinac still keeps an eye on his old club and is well aware they will be on a high following Sunday’s derby win at Tottenham.
“I’m happy to see my old team-mates again, it’s special,” he said at the pre-match press conference.
“It’s always difficult to play against English teams. They are physically strong. We watch a lot of the Premier League, and know it will be difficult but we have prepared well and we have a game plan to implement.
“Arsenal won the north London derby and are full of confidence. They have great players, are solid in defence and very dangerous at set-pieces.
“We are up against a team with an excellent shape, who can press high while remaining compact. They are a young side who know their strengths; and we know ours.”
Atalanta were the only team to beat Bayer Leverkusen last season when they triumphed 3-0 in Dublin to qualify for the Champions League.
But coach Gian Piero Gasperini has modest expectations in the revamped 36-team league format.
“The objective is to stay in contention,” he said. “It will be difficult to get into the top eight and even staying between ninth and 24th will require us to pick up points in every match.
“We have a very tough obstacle to start with but it will be a good opportunity to gauge where we’re at.”
17:46 , Jonathan Gorrie
Arsenal “did their homework” on Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and highlighted how he “gets too involved with players around him” at corners, according to Gunners legend David Seaman.
Vicario was left rooted to his line as Spurs conceded from another set-piece when Gabriel scored the winner in last weekend’s 1-0 north London derby defeat to Arsenal.
17:39 , Jonathan Gorrie
Mikel Arteta has described losing Martin Odegaard as “a great test” as Arsenal prepare to be without their influential captain for an extended period.
Arsenal fans may have chosen some more colourful language, and whether the Gunners pass or fail this examination will surely go a long way to determining the success of their season.
17:37 , Jonathan Gorrie
Arsenal have been offered hope that Martin Odegaard could return in a month.
The Gunners are fearful of losing their captain for several weeks after confirmation on Wednesday from manager Mikel Arteta of “significant” ligament damage picked up while on Norway duty earlier this month.
However, Norway manager Stale Solbakken has told Norwegian outlet NRK: “We are preparing with a plan with Martin and one without.”
17:35 , Jonathan Gorrie
Atalanta to win: 10/3
Draw: 27/10
Arsenal to win: 20/23
Odds via Betfair and subject to change.
17:34 , Jonathan Gorrie
The two teams have never played a competitive game.
17:33 , Jonathan Gorrie
It’s a tough away game for Arsenal in the midst of a difficult run of fixtures and something of an injury crisis. For that reason, it’s easy to imagine them wanting to keep things tight.
Draw, 0-0.
17:31 , Jonathan Gorrie
The Gunners will have Declan Rice, Riccardo Calafiori and Bukayo Saka available for the game. Martin Odegaard, however, is facing an extended period out of action after significant damage to his ankle ligaments.
17:30 , Jonathan Gorrie
Atalanta welcomed Berat Djimsiti and Nicolo Zaniolo back for the win over Fiorentina, along with former Arsenal man Sead Kolasinac. Rafael Toloi, Ben Godfrey, Giorgio Scalvini and Gianluca Scamacca are all still sidelined.
17:30 , Jonathan Gorrie
TV channel: The game will be broadcast on TNT Sports 1.
Live stream: Subscribers will be able to watch on a live stream via the Discovery+ app.
LIVE coverage: Follow all the action with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog!
16:56 , Jonathan Gorrie
Good evening and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Arsenal’s Champions League trip to Atalanta tonight.
Kick-off from the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo is at 8pm BST.
