Girona vs Arsenal preview, team news, line-up and prediction

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Arsenal can wrap-up qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League with a positive result away to Girona on Wednesday night.

We are well positioned to book our place in the knockouts and avoid a potentially tricky play-off. After seven matches, Arsenal sit third in the table, three points ahead of ninth place with a superior goal difference. In order for Arsenal to miss out on the top eight, it would require a crazy set of results on the final night so we can be quietly confident of progressing to the last-16.

Last time out in the Champions League, Arsenal eased past Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium last week. Declan Rice opened the scoring in the second minute and it looked like we’d thrash the beleaguered Croatian outfit. However, we failed to kick-on and get the second goal, which allowed Zagreb to grow into the game.

Thankfully, Kai Havertz made it 2-0 midway through the second half before Martin Odegaard sealed a comfortable win in stoppage time. The victory, coupled with some favourable results elsewhere, has put Arsenal in a strong position – sitting behind only Liverpool and Barcelona in the 36-team table – so it’s been a very positive qualifying campaign so far.

We now need to get the job done in Spain on Wednesday night and it’s worth noting that the higher you finish in the table, the more favourable our run to the final should be, so Mikel Arteta will want to finish with a win to secure a top three place. Arsenal are one of the favours to win the entire competition this season, and while fans won’t be rushing out to buy UEFA Champions League final tickets just yet, the players will hope to go deep into the latter stages. Who knows, it could finally be our year in Europe.

Controversy

Arsenal come into the match off the back of another hugely controversial Premier League game after winning 1-0 against Wolves on Saturday afternoon. We were dominating the game but failed to our chances – a familiar theme this season – with Havertz missing two golden opportunities to break the deadlock with two headers.

With half-time approaching, the game was turned on it’s head by yet another ridiculous piece of refereeing. As Wolves broke from an Arsenal corner, Myles Lewis-Skelly clipped the foot of Matt Doherty to stop the break-away. A standard yellow card would be issued in any other situation, but not here as Michael Oliver surprised everyone – even the Wolves players – by brandishing a straight red card for serious foul play. Replays showed the challenge didn’t meet that criteria but Darren England on VAR refused to intervene.

A staggering decision, even by our standards, and understandably the Arsenal players were raging. Arsenal appealed the decision and it was immediately overturned by the independent panel, but the fact that the PGMOL backed Oliver shows they just aren’t fit for purpose. These ludicrous decisions keep happening, and too often they are made against Arsenal. Particularly by Oliver, who has a horrendous record when officiating our games.

Anyway, thankfully it didn’t cost us on Saturday. We actually played very well with 10-men and more than held our own until Andre Gomez was rightly sent off for a second booking – ironically his challenge was much worse than the one Lewis-Skelly was sent off for and the Wolves man should have been shown a straight red. Another error by Oliver. Arsenal took advantage if the 10v10 with Riccardo Calafiori coming off the bench to fire home the winner. The win keeps alive our title hopes for another week.

Team News

Bukayo Saka remains on the sidelines as the England international is still recovering from hamstring surgery. Saka is expected to be out until March so could be back in time for the first knockout rounds of the Champions League.

Gabriel Jesus is also unavailable as he’s not going to return until the latter stages of 2025 after undergoing ACL surgery. It’s a hammer blow to Arsenal and Jesus, as he was just starting to rediscover his best form.

Ben White is edging closer to making his return from a knee injury that’s kept him out since November. However, this game comes too soon. Takehiro Tomiyasu is also still recovering from a knee injury so hasn’t travelled to Spain.

Arsenal will need to assess Havertz as he looked knackered at the end of the Wolves game and was holding his hamstring. It’s not thought to be anything serious but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the German handed a well earned rest.

How to watch

Girona vs Arsenal will be shown live on TNT Sports on Wednesday night. Match going fans can also buy Champions League tickets from the club or through a reputable online reseller such as Seatsnet.com.

Predicted line-up

Arsenal will need to assess Havertz as he looked knackered at the end of the Wolves game and was holding his hamstring. It’s not thought to be anything serious but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the German handed a well earned rest.

One of Saliba or Gabriel should be rested with Jacub Kiwior getting a run out in defence. Calafiori could also start after coming off the bench at the weekend while Jorginho and Mikel Merino are options to start if Arteta wants to rest Rice.

We don’t have many options in attack but I’d expect Raheem Sterling to start along with youngster Ethan Nwaneri. With Man City coming up at the weekend, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some players given a rest.

Possible Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Kiwior, Gabriel, Calafiori, Partey, Merino, Odegaard, Sterling, Nwaneri, Trossard

Predicted score

This won’t be an easy game and much will depend on the type of team Arteta puts out. If we rest lots of players, we may struggle to win as our squad isn’t the strongest right now.

However, if we go virtually full strength, then I back Arsenal to bring home the three points and book our place in the top three of the Champions League table. Girona 1-2 Arsenal

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