Club Brugge vs Arsenal: Match Preview, Latest Team News and How to Watch | OneFootball

Club Brugge vs Arsenal Champions League preview

Arsenal return to the European stage with unfinished domestic business still ringing in their ears. Saturday’s late defeat at Aston Villa, settled by Emiliano Buendia’s 95th minute intervention, represented the Gunners’ first setback since August and only their second defeat of the season. Yet within the broader picture, it has barely dented the authority of Mikel Arteta’s campaign, particularly in the Champions League where their record remains flawless.

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Five matches, five victories, and wins over Bayern Munich, Slavia Prague, Atletico Madrid, Olympiacos and Athletic Club have elevated Arsenal to solitary perfection atop the group standings. They remain the only side yet to drop a single point in the competition. That spotless sequence is now taken to Bruges, where progression politics mix with pressure to respond swiftly to domestic disappointment.

For Club Brugge, survival rather than dominance frames their European narrative. Qualifying emphatically via a nine goal dismantling of Rangers, the Belgian side have struggled to replicate that power on the bigger stage. Four points from five games leave them outside the knock out play off positions, thanks to a victory over Monaco and an absorbing six goal draw with Barcelona. Domestically, third place after 17 league fixtures hints at respectable consistency, even if continental ambition remains fragile.

Date, kick-off time and venue

Club Brugge vs Arsenal is scheduled for an 8pm GMT kick-off on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.

The match will take place at the Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges.

Where to watch Club Brugge vs Arsenal

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports 2, with coverage starting at 7pm GMT ahead of an 8pm kick-off.

Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.

Club Brugge vs Arsenal team news

Arsenal’s preparations have been shaped by a series of defensive concerns. William Saliba remains a doubt after picking up a knock, though Arteta recently described the French defender as being “a matter of days” away from returning, offering hope that he could be in contention.

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Gabriel and Cristhian Mosquera will definitely miss out, both facing lengthy spells out of action. Kai Havertz is edging closer to fitness but will not travel to Belgium. Riccardo Calafiori’s suspension sustained at Villa Park does not apply in the Champions League, restoring an important option to the squad. Declan Rice and Mikel Merino both tread disciplinary fine lines, sitting one booking away from a one match suspension.

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Club Brugge’s injury issues are arguably more disruptive. Neither of their first choice goalkeepers is available, with Simon Mignolet sidelined by a muscle strain and Nordin Jackers recovering from a fractured rib. At the weekend Dani van den Heuvel deputised, the 22 year old Netherlands youth international conceding three goals from six shots during a 3-2 defeat by St Truiden.

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Further absences stretch across the outfield, with centre back Zaid Romero and midfielders Lynnt Audoor and Ludovit Reis all missing. Striker Romeo Vermant will also be unavailable after sustaining concussion.

Club Brugge vs Arsenal prediction

Jan Breydel Stadium can carry a formidable atmosphere when the Ultras find voice, but this contest feels weighted heavily towards the visitors. Arsenal and Brugge inhabit contrasting tiers of the early Champions League standings, reflected in output as well as results. Arteta’s side have struck almost double the number of goals recorded by their hosts, underlining a gulf in attacking consistency.

Arsenal arrive carrying the bruises of well timed domestic disappointment, yet their overall trajectory remains upward, grounded by their Premier League leadership and their six month avoidance of defeat before the Villa setback. Their injury list is inconvenient but manageable. Brugge’s disruption runs deeper, with six first team absentees stretching across goalkeeping and core defensive units.

That imbalance should shape proceedings. Arsenal possess enough tactical organisation, technical quality and bench depth to navigate this European assignment efficiently.

Prediction: Arsenal to win, 4-0

Head to head history and results

Wednesday’s match will be the first between Club Brugge and Arsenal.