Arsenal verwelkomt PSV Eindhoven in de Emiraten voor hun openingswedstrijd in de Champions League Group B op woensdag.
De wedstrijd markeert de terugkeer van Arsenal en PSV naar de UEFA Champions League na hun afwezigheid in de hoogste Europese competitie.
Since the Gunners have not played in Europe’s top club competition in six years, a remarkable season in 2021/22 saw Mikel Arteta’s team win the long-awaited Champions League berth, which eased the blow of their title loss to Manchester City.
PSV is ook terug in de belangrijke periode na een afwezigheid van vier seizoenen. Since their last Champions League game, they have had six different head coaches, including caretakers, and they have four runners-up finishes and one Eredivisie season abandoned. Over that time, the Dutch team lost three qualifiers and saw off the Rangers in August to once again reach the group stage.
This is PSV’s 17th time in the competition, while Arsenal won the Champions League 19 times consecutively from 1998 to 2017.
Both Arsenal and PSV are familiar foes having face-off in the Europa League last season, although PSV are much changed from the last time they met Mikel Arteta’s men.
Peter Bosz is now at the helm and his distinctive ideals have already become apparent in Eindhoven. They sit atop the Eredivisie having won four from four, but Arsenal, too, have enjoyed a productive start to the season which continued with a win at Everton on Sunday.
The excitement is palpable on the red side of north London and the Emirates will be rocking for PSV’s visit as supporters celebrate the Champions League’s return to the Emirate Stadium.
However, Bosz’s side will not make life easy for the Gunners, with their hectic style set to give Arteta”s men a couple of things to think about. PSV are a more dynamic unit compared to last season, and Bosz won’t deviate from the ideals which have brought about early successObviously, this would be a cracking game – certainly more entertaining than the two meetings last term – with Arsenal’s attack finally clicking against a brave PSV backline. There will be goals, and the Gunners will be on the right side of the result.
