Arsenal take on Girona in the Champions League tonight. It is the Gunners’ final game of the new-look league phase, with their automatic progress through to the last 16 without the need for a two-legged knockout play-off tie all but secured ahead of this evening’s visit to Catalonia.
Mikel Arteta’s side currently sit third after winning five and losing just one of their seven matches so far and it would take an extraordinary sequence of events to knock them out of the top eight due to their superior goal difference and rival teams going head to head. Arsenal could even end up second behind Liverpool if they win and Barcelona lose at home to Atalanta, though for Girona - owned by the City Football Group - there is no chance to even snatch a play-off spot with just one win to date in their maiden Champions League campaign leaving them 31st on just three points.
Arteta may have been tempted to heavily rotate his team tonight with Manchester City and Newcastle to come, but he is keen to generate some momentum with another win in Europe worth as much as £12million. Follow Girona vs Arsenal live below, with expert analysis from Standard Sport’s Simon Collings at the Estadi Montilivi.
Girona vs Arsenal latest news
Kick-off time: 8pm GMT | Estadi Montilivi
How to watch: TNT Sports
Arsenal team news: Odegaard and Merino fit
Girona team news: Five key players out
Score prediction
Arsenal team news
17:40 , George Flood
Arsenal have received a significant boost with midfielders Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino both back in training after missing Saturday’s eventful 1-0 Premier League win at Wolves through illness and injury respectively.
The game comes too soon for Ben White, with fellow long-term absentees Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu all still sidelined.
While Mikel Arteta is still expected to name a strong team tonight despite Arsenal already all but guaranteed of a direct spot in the last 16, a few could be rested as the likes of Neto, Jakub Kiwior, Riccardo Calafiori, Kieran Tierney, Jorginho and Raheem Sterling all eye starts.
How to watch Girona vs Arsenal
17:36
TV channel: Tonight’s game will be broadcast live in the UK on TNT Sports 4, with coverage beginning at 7:30pm GMT.
Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers will also be able to watch on a live stream online via the Discovery+ app and website.
Girona vs Arsenal live
17:32 , George Flood
Arsenal are in Catalonia tonight to take on Girona in their final match of the Champions League league phase.
The Gunners are all but guaranteed automatic progress through to the last 16 already, but Mikel Arteta is still expected to name a strong side this evening as they look to reap the financial rewards and also build some key momentum ahead of huge clashes to come against Manchester City and Newcastle.
Kick-off tonight is at 8pm GMT, with build-up, permutations, team news and live updates to come, plus expert analysis from Standard Sport’s Simon Collings at the Estadi Montilivi.