Arsenal face Bayern, Inter, Atletico in brutal Champions League showdown

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Arsenal Football Club has been handed a challenging set of fixtures in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League league phase, during Thursday’s draw in Monaco.

The Gunners, drawn from Pot 2, will face eight opponents, including heavyweight clashes against Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid at home, and a daunting trip to Inter Milan’s San Siro, testing their mettle in the revamped 36-team competition.

The North London side will host Bayern Munich, a familiar foe led by Harry Kane, who has scored 15 goals in 21 matches against Arsenal, including one in their 2024 quarterfinal defeat.

Atletico Madrid, known for their defensive resilience under Diego Simeone, also visit the Emirates, reigniting memories of Arsenal’s 2018 Europa League semifinal loss.

The away fixture against Inter Milan, where Arsenal fell in last season’s league phase, promises a heated rematch at one of Europe’s most iconic venues.

Arsenal’s schedule is rounded out with trips to Club Brugge, Slavia Prague, and Athletic Bilbao, alongside home matches against Olympiacos and Champions League debutants Kairat Almaty from Kazakhstan.

The Gunners have faced Olympiacos 12 times since 2009, offering a familiar challenge, while Athletic Bilbao’s passionate Basque support and Slavia Prague’s raucous home atmosphere will test Arsenal’s resolve.

Kairat, a surprise qualifier after defeating Celtic, adds an element of unpredictability with a long journey to Almaty.

Under the new Champions League format, now in its second year, each team plays eight matches-four home and four away, against opponents from four pots based on UEFA coefficients.

Arsenal, eager to surpass last season’s semifinal run halted by champions Paris Saint-Germain, aim to secure a top-eight finish for direct qualification to the round of 16. Teams ranked ninth to 24th will face a two-legged playoff, while the bottom eight are eliminated.

Manager Mikel Arteta, speaking post-draw, acknowledged the “tough tests” ahead but expressed confidence in his squad’s depth and ambition.