Ranked Easiest to Hardest: Arsenal’s 8 UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Fixtures

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·29 août 2025

Ranked Easiest to Hardest: Arsenal’s 8 UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Fixtures

The second year running of UEFA’s new format, a league table Arsenal finished third in.

Although I should stress PSG ended up in 15th position and needed a play-off to get to the knockout stages, yet won the whole thing.

Vidéos OneFootball

36 clubs play eight fixtures, four at home, four away. The top eight automatically go to the last 16.

Ninth to 24th face over two legs to decide the eight teams who also will be in the last 16.

If you finish 24th or lower you are eliminated.

Ranked from easy to hardest, here are our eight fixtures this season in the Champions League…

(BBC and Sky Sports / Arsenal were reporting differently so I have used UEFA for my source for who is home / away)

Kairat Almaty – H

Look away now Celtic fans!

It says a lot about the standard of Scottish football that its Champions not only were knocked out over two legs by the Champions of Kazakhstan, but could not score against them after 210 minutes of football.

The two games were horrible to watch.

One of four teams to be in the Champions League proper for the first time, their home fans will react like it is a cup final when they get to rock up in North London.

In terms of travel, Mikel Arteta will have been relieved that he does not have to do a reverse trip, but in reality he could rotate his squad between Prem fixtures and still win comfortably here.

Slavia Prague – A

The victims of our biggest ever margin of victory in Champions League history.

Some Gooners will be delighted that this is away so they could include a weekend in Prague into their schedule.

Yes, they are the Czech Champions, but Arsenal is a level of quality they do not face most weeks.

Last season in the Europa League table, they finished 30th.

Olympiacos – H

Have faced numerous times over the years, with the Greeks famously knocking Mikel Arteta out in his first European tie.

If this was in Greece it would be a banana skin, but the Champions of Greece do not travel well.

The most successful team in their country’s history and winners of a domestic double last season, a squad who are used to winning.

Either way, why do I sense win, lose or draw we see Mr Marinakis make an appearance.

Club Brugge – A

One of three teams on this list the Gunners have never faced before in a competitive match.

One of the two sides responsible for there being zero Scottish representation in the Champions League this season, both will face the Gunners.

The Belgians qualified by putting nine goals past Rangers over two legs, although I am still not sure if Brugge were great or it is more of a reflection on the SPL?

Are free flowing and goal scoring domestically, but showed last campaign they are not just here to make up the numbers.

Beat the then Europa League holders Atalanta home and away last season to get to the last 16.

Have done well to hang on to Christos Tzolis and Hans Vanaken. Watch out for them on the counter-attack.

Athletic Club – A

Back in the Champions League after an 11-year exit, highlighting the trajectory of the club recently. Their only regret might have been not showing up against Man United knowing their ground was going to host the Europa League Final.

That is why Gooners should be unhappy that this is not at home but in Bilbao.

It is a unique footballing city that only employs Basque players, with their success built on a team spirit and togetherness.

That is why the likes of Nico Williams remains.

Nico Williams (Photo by Angelos Tzortzinis / AFP) (Photo by ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Atletico Madrid – H

When it comes to Atletico Madrid, as long as they are coached by Diego Simeone you know what you are up against.

They will be organised, hard to break down, the experts of the dark.

That is why over two legs they remain one of the best in Europe. As a one-off fixture in the League stage it remains to be seen how far Rojiblancos go in changing their playing style. Their manager has been questioned if he is able or even willing to do that, but certainly recent signings suggest otherwise.

At the Emirates though, I am expecting Madrid to go back to what brought them to the dance.

Inter Milan – A

With a few weeks till the end of the season Inter Milan were on course for a Treble, yet ended up with nothing. The size of their Champions League Final defeat saw Simone Inzaghi leave by mutual consent, possibly an overreaction when you think of their classic semi-final against Barcelona.

Club legend Christian Chivu has already been credited as introducing tactics in line with the club’s DNA.

Like at Parma, his ethos is to press high up the pitch and move the ball forward more quickly.

That is compared to the slow build-up play they were criticised for last year.

An ageing squad deserved to go out on their sword and prove it was one season too many, but it should be stressed how close it was to being a special campaign. Physically and mentally they just ran out of legs.

With the age of the squad slowly reducing, yet experience still there to help, there is a slight transition at the San Siro.

Outside of PSG, the Gunners’ only defeat in Europe last season was in Milan. In that fixture we dominated possession, yet lost due to a controversial penalty. Inter only conceded one goal in the CL League table.

It will be a similar kind of game but maybe the home side will show more ambition.

Bayern Munich – H

The highlight here of course will be Harry Kane returning to North London.

Gone are the days when the German giants are going to be scoring five at the Emirates, while we have even matured from facing them over two legs two years ago. A one-off home game in the League stage of course will be less pressure.

99 goals were scored in the Bundesliga last campaign by the Champions, but away from home in Europe they were accused of being naive, not adapting their high press or changing their tactics towards the opposition.

Then you remember they are managed by Vincent Kompany. Not changing his principles at Burnley got him a job at Germany’s biggest club, so he is not going to abandon his ethos now.

A long-term injury to Musiala is a blow, but Olise has stepped up.

In terms of getting over the line, they have lost a lot of experience at the Allianz Arena.

Might not have finished in the transfer market.

Your thoughts appreciated in the comments.

Dan Smith

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