Arsenal v Lille: Gunners seek Champions League win as first meeting looms

Arsenal welcome Lille to the Emirates on Tuesday for their first home match of the 2026-27 Champions League campaign, with the game also marking the first competitive meeting between the two clubs.

Mikel Arteta’s side began the league phase with a 1-0 victory at Napoli, while Lille were beaten 3-2 by Real Betis at Stade Pierre-Mauroy after being reduced to 10 men.

Arsenal have not lost a Champions League league-phase match since a 1-0 defeat by Inter Milan in November 2024. Their win in Naples was their 13th in succession in the competition, with Martin Ødegaard again proving decisive.

The Norway midfielder scored the only goal 15 minutes from time, although the result did not reflect Arsenal’s dominance. They recorded 4.05 expected goals (xG) at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona – the highest total they have produced in a Champions League match.

The reigning English champions have lost only two of their past 31 league-phase or group-stage matches in UEFA competitions, and have scored at least three goals in five of their last six home games at this stage.

Arsenal also came from behind to beat Leeds United 2-1 at the Emirates on Saturday, ending the Whites’ unbeaten start to the Premier League season. Arteta had to introduce several key players after an unconvincing opening hour, while James Justin’s early goal extended a defensive concern: Arsenal have conceded six times in their past three matches in all competitions after allowing just one goal in their first six games.

Lille twice led against Betis but surrendered victory in chaotic circumstances. They were 2-1 ahead at half-time before Marc Bartra’s second goal and Troy Parrott’s winner turned the match around within 11 minutes of the restart. Ethan Mbappe Lottin was then sent off for elbowing Betis defender Natan in the face.

Since Davide Ancelotti’s Champions League debut ended in disappointment, Lille have taken six points from three Ligue 1 matches, beating Troyes and Le Havre either side of a defeat by Nice. Dilane Bakwa, on loan from Nottingham Forest, scored in Saturday’s 1-0 win over 10-man Le Havre, leaving Lille second and one point behind leaders Monaco, who drew with Toulouse.

Lille have lost their past eight away games against English clubs. Their last victory came against Aston Villa in the Intertoto Cup in 2002.

Arsenal’s fitness news is mixed. Declan Rice, Max Dowman, Ezri Konsa and Kai Havertz were cleared to play against Leeds after missing their national-team matches. Christos Tzolis and William Saliba remain out, while Piero Hincapie suffered an ankle injury in Saturday’s recovery session. Riccardo Calafiori, who scored against Leeds, is therefore unlikely to be rested.

Ethan Mbappe Lottin is suspended for three matches and misses games against Galatasaray on 21 October and Bodø/Glimt on 3 November. He is also expected to be out for three weeks with an ankle injury. Tiago Santos sustained a knee injury against Le Havre, while Romain Perraud went off with an unspecified problem and Hamza Igamane remains absent with a cruciate ligament injury. Nathan Ngoy is expected to return, but Basar Onal was also missing at the weekend.

Olivier Giroud, aged 40, started Lille’s last match but is expected to make way for Ayase Ueda.

Likely Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Guimaraes, Zubimendi; Saka, Ødegaard, Eze; Gyokeres.

Likely Lille XI: Ozer; Ngoy, Nianzou, Alexsandro, Verdonk; Andre, Bentaleb; Bakwa, Haraldsson, Perrin; Ueda.

Suggested bets are Arsenal to win and under 3.5 goals at 1.95, Martin Ødegaard to be decisive at 2.15, and Viktor Gyokeres to score at 1.96. Arsenal are backed to make it two wins from two in Europe.

Arsenal Champions League form: W Arsenal overall form: W, W, W, W, L, W Lille Champions League form: L Lille overall form: D, W, L, W, L, W