Real Madrid, having secured six Champions League titles since 2014, are once again strong favorites to claim the trophy.
With a star-studded lineup that includes new French signing Kylian Mbappé, England's Jude Bellingham, and the ever-reliable Brazilian forward Vinícius Jr., manager Carlo Ancelotti has assembled a perfect blend of talent, youth, and experience.
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Atalanta bounced back to winning form on Sunday with a 3-2 victory over Fiorentina, after suffering two consecutive Serie A defeats.
The Italian side had previously fallen to Torino and Inter, but began their league campaign with an impressive 4-0 win at Lecce.
Atalanta vs Arsenal — Kick-off, Team News, and Streaming Details
Kick-off Time: 8:00 PM BST / 3:00 PM EDT / 12:00 PM PDT
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Earlier in the season, Atalanta faced a 2-0 defeat against Champions League holders Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup, following their Europa League triumph last season.
Arsenal have enjoyed a strong start to their Premier League campaign, winning three of their first four matches. The only setback was a 1-1 home draw against Brighton, where Joao Pedro's strike marked the sole goal conceded by the Gunners this season. Despite that, Mikel Arteta’s side has been prolific, scoring eight goals.
Their impressive form includes a commanding 2-0 away win at Aston Villa, adding to their triumph over Spurs. A victory in Italy would mark a perfect record on the road this season, with three wins from three away fixtures.
“Last year was a successful campaign for us,” the Arsenal manager said before the match. “We reached heights we hadn’t seen as a club in 16 or 18 years, but we’re not content because we aim for more. Our hunger is evident. We have the ability and the quality; now we need to prove it.
“We’ve learned valuable lessons and identified areas for improvement. It’s important to remember that we’re up against the top elite clubs in Europe, who excel in playing and competing.
“We hope to demonstrate the composure, determination, and belief needed at this level. We know the challenges ahead will be tough.”
Atalanta secured a 3-2 victory over Fiorentina at home on Sunday in Serie A. Mateo Retegui, Ademola Lookman, and Charles De Ketelaere each found the net in the first half, overcoming Fiorentina's two early leads.
In Arsenal news, manager Mikel Arteta confirmed that Martin Ødegaard will be sidelined due to an ankle injury affecting one of his ligaments. Arteta refrained from providing a specific return timeline, stating, “The scans revealed some damage, particularly in one of the ankle ligaments, so we will miss him for a while. I’m not a doctor, so I can't specify how long, but it’s significant. Hopefully not months, but we’ll see.”
Arteta also noted that while he doesn't plan to rest any players following Sunday’s north London derby win over Tottenham, he anticipates welcoming back at least one injured player: “Riccardo Calafiori trained today and will be available for selection. It’s positive news, especially since we’ve been short on players recently.”
