Arsenal are aiming to maintain their perfect record in the 2025–26 Champions League when they face Club Brugge in Gameweek 6 of the league phase.
The Gunners are the only team to win all five of their continental outings so far, and they produced perhaps their most impressive showing of the season to beat Bayern Munich 3–1 at the Emirates a fortnight ago.
Their excellent start means automatic progression into the round of 16 is all but guaranteed, and this game will hand Mikel Arteta the opportunity to shuffle around his fatiguing squad. On Saturday, Arsenal were beaten for just the second time this term, as Emiliano Buendía struck with the last kick to earn Aston Villa a memorable 2–1 victory at Villa Park.
The Premier League leaders are facing a Club Brugge outfit that just parted ways with manager Nicky Hayen, who was pivotal to their success last season. However, a run of two wins in seven games proved fatal for the Belgian coach. Brugge are down to third in the Pro League and have won just one of their five league phase outings.
They currently sit 26th with four points, and may well need to double their tally in the final three games to sneak into the knockout playoff round, which they qualified for under Hayen last term.
Arsenal Team News
Declan Rice, William Saliba and Leandro Trossard all missed training ahead of the trip to Bruges and are doubts for Wednesday’s game.
Arteta hinted at a swift return for Saliba last week, but the French defender is set to miss his fourth game in succession. Trossard returned from a brief absence at the weekend but has picked up another knock, while Rice travelled to Villa Park with a minor calf issue but played 90 minutes.
Leaving the England international out would probably be wise, given how much he’ll be relied upon by Arteta during the second half of the season.
Cristhian Mosquera is sidelined until the new year with an ankle injury, while Gabriel and Kai Havertz also remain in the treatment room for the Gunners. Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyökeres, Christian Nørgaard, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly should all come into the starting XI.
Arsenal predicted lineup vs. Club Brugge (4-3-3): Raya; White, Timber, Hincapié, Lewis-Skelly; Nørgaard, Merino, Nwaneri; Saka, Gyökeres, Martinelli.
Club Brugge vs. Arsenal Score Prediction
The change of manager from the hosts could throw a spanner in the works, with Leko potentially giving an out-of-form Brugge life. The decision seems harsh on Hayen, though, given what he achieved at the club last season.
Both teams are bound to be depleted for this encounter, and Arsenal are set for a fight in Bruges. Plenty have had difficulties at the Jan Breydelstadion over the years, including Barcelona last month, and Arsenal are unlikely to blitz past their opponents on Wednesday.
Instead, a slog in Belgium is on the cards for the visitors, who could throw it back to their autumnal peak and decide the contest via one slick set-piece routine.
Prediction: Club Brugge 0–1 Arsenal