Paul Merson Doubts Arsenal’s Champions League Hopes Ahead of Napoli Clash
Arsenal begin their new Champions League campaign at Napoli this evening, carrying domestic momentum but facing a blunt warning from Paul Merson that their summer recruitment has not supplied the elite forward needed to win Europe’s biggest prize.
Napoli test opens Arsenal’s European push
Mikel Arteta’s side arrive in Italy after a flawless opening to the Premier League season, with three straight wins over Coventry, Aston Villa and Chelsea.
- Arsenal face Napoli away from home in their opening Champions League match.
- The Gunners have won each of their first three league fixtures.
- A positive result in Naples would give Arteta’s squad an early platform in the European campaign.
Arsenal reached last season’s Champions League final in Budapest, only to lose to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties after the match finished 1-1 in normal time. Kai Havertz struck first for Arsenal, Ousmane Dembele levelled for PSG, and Gabriel Magalhaes missed the decisive kick in the shootout.
Merson doubts Arsenal have the decisive attacker
Merson believes Arsenal will again compete deep into the tournament, but says the squad still lacks the individual attacking quality required against Europe’s strongest opponents.
Arsenal spent about £160 million during the summer window on Bruno Guimaraes, Ezri Konsa and Christos Tzolis, yet Merson feels the investment did not solve their key issue in the final third.
- Merson expects Arsenal to be “there or thereabouts” in the Champions League.
- He believes their squad is strong enough to challenge for the Premier League.
- His concern is Arsenal’s forward line when they meet the continent’s heavyweight sides.
- He said a signing of the calibre of Vinicius Junior or Julian Alvarez could have given Arsenal the edge to win the competition.
In Merson’s view, Arsenal are missing the extra ingredient — an “X factor” player capable of deciding the biggest European nights — and may therefore fall just short again.
Supporters target the missing trophy
Having recently ended a long wait for the Premier League title, Arsenal supporters are now looking to the Champions League as the major honour still absent from the club’s collection.
Merson said winning the competition would allow fans to truly claim they have “won it all”, with the painful PSG defeat still fresh in north London. Arsenal now have the chance to start their response immediately in Naples.
