Champions League Matchday 1: Napoli vs Arsenal facts

Napoli's fourth UEFA Champions League campaign in five seasons begins with a home game at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona against last season's runners-up Arsenal.

Previous meetings

Arsenal have won three of the sides' four previous fixtures, Napoli triumphing in the other. After Arsenal won 2-0 in London and Napoli by the same scoreline in Naples in the 2013/14 group stage, current Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta sent off in Italy, the Gunners triumphed 2-0 at home and 1-0 away in the 2018/19 UEFA Europa League quarter-finals.

Napoli have lost their last three Champions League matches against English teams, including at Manchester City on Matchday 1 last season (0-2) and at home to Chelsea on Matchday 8 (2-3).

Napoli's last 21 matches against English opponents have produced an average of three goals per game.

Arsenal have won seven of their last ten matches against Italian teams (D1 L2), a 3-1 success at Inter Milan on Matchday 7 last season making it three victories in their last five away games (D1 L1).

Form guide

Napoli

This is Napoli's tenth campaign in the Champions League proper; their best performance came in 2022/23, when they reached the quarter-finals.

The Naples club were 30th in last season's league phase (W2 D2 L4).

The 2-0 defeat at Manchester City in 2025/26 was only Napoli's second Matchday 1 loss in their nine opening fixtures in the Champions League (W5 D2), ending a run of three straight victories.

Arsenal 

Having not featured in the Champions League proper between 2016/17 and 2023/24, Arsenal are making their fourth successive appearance and 23rd overall.

The Gunners reached a second final last season – their best run in the competition since 2005/06 – losing 4-3 on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain after a 1-1 draw in Budapest.

Mikel Arteta's side had won all eight league phase games – the first club to do so under the current format – before beating Bayer Leverkusen (3-1 aggregate), Sporting CP (1-0) and Atlético de Madrid (2-1) in the knockout phase.

Arsenal are unbeaten on Matchday 1 in their last nine European campaigns (W7 D2), since a 1-2 loss at GNK Dinamo in the 2015/16 Champions League.

Links and trivia

Napoli have won only two of their last ten matches in the Champions League proper (D3 L5).

Only one of Napoli's last 48 European games finished goalless.

Since a 1-0 defeat at Inter on Matchday 4 of the 2024/25 Champions League, Arsenal have won 12 consecutive league phase matches, scoring three or more goals in each of the last six.

Arsenal have lost only two of their last 30 Champions League group stage/league phase fixtures (W24 D4).

Arteta's team were unbeaten in regular time in last season's competition (W11 D4).

Only one of Arsenal’s last 54 Champions League group stage/league phase matches finished goalless.

Arsenal had the fewest goals conceded (7) and most clean sheets (9) in last season's Champions League.