BREAKING: Arsenal champions league squad finally out as Mikel Arteta left Declan Rice and Two other key players from squad list due to lack of indiscipline
UEFA have revealed the official Arsenal squad for the upcoming Champions League campaign. A so-called ‘Swiss model’ has been implemented this season to increase the number of competing sides in the tournament from 32 to 36.
Rather than operate a standard group stage, like previously, a league phase has been formed to guarantee at least eight games for each team. Not every club in the competition will lock horns, with UEFA seeding a draw to determine fixtures.
Last month, Arsenal discovered who they’ll be playing. The Gunners will kickstart their European campaign by welcoming Paris Saint-Germain to the Emirates Stadium before facing Internazionale at the San Siro.
Then, Arteta’s side must play Shakhtar Donetsk (H), Atalanta (A), Dinamo Zagreb (H), Sporting CP (A), AS Monaco (H) and, finally, Girona (A) before the standard knockout stages, as we know it, commence. Arsenal will be hoping to go the distance and become the first team to win the new-look Champions League.
Desperate to get his hands on some silverware, the Gunners boss has named a few surprise players in his squad. As revealed by UEFA, Arteta has selected three goalkeepers: David Raya, Neto and Tommy Setford, who joined Arsenal from Ajax in the summer.
The Spaniard has picked nine defenders: William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Ben White, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior, Takehiro Tomiyasu and, one particularly surprising addition, Kieran Tierney, who spent last season on loan at Real Sociedad.
In the middle of the park, Arteta has chosen: Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, Jorginho and, another new signing, Mikel Merino. Up top, the Spaniard has picked: Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Chelsea loanee, Raheem Sterling.
Arsenal will also need to select a ‘Player list B’ which, as it stands, has not been confirmed, so this is likely where academy prospects such as Ethan Nwaneri will be named. Real Madrid, who won the Champions League last season, will play Borussia Dortmund (H), Liverpool (A), AC Milan (H), Atalanta (A), RB Salzburg (H), Lille (A), Stuttgart (H) and Brest (A).
Los Blancos will be determined to defend their crown, despite Arteta’s hopes of winning the title.
Arsenal Champions League squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Raya, Neto, Setford.
Defenders: Saliba, Tierney, White, Gabriel, Timber, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Tomiyasu, Calafiori.
Midfielders: Partey, Odegaard, Jorginho, Merino, Rice.
Forwards: Havertz, Sterling, Saka, Jesus, Martinelli, Trossard.
