Arsenal's Challenge in Naples: Aiming for European Glory

Arsenal’s road back to the summit of Europe starts in Naples, less than five months after the most agonising of near-misses.

Last season, Mikel Arteta’s side tore through the league phase, winning all eight of their matches and refusing to lose inside 90 minutes across the entire competition. They went toe to toe with Paris Saint-Germain in the final in Budapest, dragged the contest all the way to penalties, and still walked away empty-handed.

Now comes the attempt to go one better.

Arteta ready to lean on depth in Naples

With that backdrop, Wednesday night in Naples is no gentle reintroduction. Arteta, though, arrives with one of the deepest squads in Europe and every intention of using it.

He is expected to rotate. Not out of complacency, but out of calculation.

Bruno Guimaraes did not feature for a single minute in the win over Chelsea, nursing a knock that Arsenal have been careful not to aggravate. That opens the door for Martin Zubimendi, who is well placed to step into midfield and anchor the side in a hostile away environment.

Higher up the pitch, the battle for attacking places is just as fierce. Eberechi Eze, an unused weapon against Chelsea, will push hard for a start on the left. His ability to glide inside and unlock packed defences gives Arteta a different flavour in wide areas.

Up front, Viktor Gyokeres is in line for his first start of the season. Kai Havertz has carried a heavy load already, and with a long campaign ahead, Arteta may choose to manage his minutes now rather than pay for it later. Gyokeres’ direct running and penalty-box presence offer a more traditional focal point if Arsenal want to stretch Napoli’s back line.

Defensive juggling act

At the back, the picture is more complicated.

William Saliba remains a long-term absentee with a back injury, a loss that would sink most sides’ defensive structure. Jurrien Timber has yet to play a minute this season but is edging closer to a return, while Cristhian Mosquera is a doubt after a muscle issue.

All of that points to Ezri Konsa once again partnering Gabriel in central defence, just as he did in the controlled, efficient victory over Chelsea on Sunday. Konsa’s calm on the ball and recovery pace have quickly made him a trusted figure in Arteta’s reshaped back line.

If there is to be a change, it is likely to arrive at left-back. Riccardo Calafiori has been outstanding in the opening weeks of the season, blending aggression, timing and quality on the ball. His history with injuries at Arsenal, though, hangs over every team sheet. The staff know they cannot push him endlessly this early in the year.

That is where Piero Hincapie comes in. He was the only defender named on the bench against Chelsea, a clear sign of how stretched the options were. In Naples, he has every chance of stepping into the XI, either to protect Calafiori or to offer a slightly more conservative balance in a demanding away tie.

Arsenal came within a shootout of the trophy last season. Now they begin again, with scars still fresh, a squad even stronger, and no intention of settling for second place.