Will Arsenal extend their 100% record in the Champions League?

To be honest, after the last Arsenal game I didn't feel like writing another blog. Not so much because Arsenal lost and had three points cut from their lead at the top of the table. The main reasons for my outrage were the performance, the way Arsenal cashed in and also reacted to the unfavourable run of play. Mikel Arteta however, reassured all North London fans at the pre-match press conference. The Spanish manager told the journalists that he and the whole team had commented on the situation. According to his words, they all agreed to put the defeat behind them and continue with the still very decent season. He also promised that everyone in the team will do everything possible in the remaining four months of the season to win the much dreamed of trophies. The first opportunity to do so will come on Wednesday at the Emirates Stadium when they welcome Kairat Almaty to their home stadium in the Champions League.

Form

Today, of course, we will also take a look at the current form of both teams. In the case of Arsenal I decided to choose a slightly different way of evaluation for today, while for Kairat I will have to improvise a lot for a change.

Arsenal

To assess Arsenal's form this time, I'll use a thought I noted on social media after the Manchester game. I suspect it was even written by legendary midfielder Patrick Vieira. Arsenal in the Premier League and Arsenal in all other competitions look like completely different teams. The Gunners' record in the Champions League is fantastic, and in both domestic cups the north Londoners have gone as far as they can go. What makes this all the more puzzling is the recent results in the Premier League, in which Arsenal have failed to win three games in a row (two draws and one defeat). Is it the demanding schedule, the mental block of the players from previous years or something else entirely behind the unconvincing league performances? It is also possible that it is just an unfortunate coincidence. Either way, Mikel Arteta and his coaching team need to work hard to ensure that Arsenal, even in the Premier League, return to the high standard that has accompanied them since the start of the season.

Since Arsenal are now facing the last match of the Champions League regular season, I will add one more piece of information, which you all probably already know. Arsenal have a 100% record in the league phase of the millionaire's competition after seven rounds played and if they can beat Kairat Almaty, they will finish as the first ever team of the new Champions League format with full points

Kairat Almaty

Kairat Almaty top the Champions League table with only one point gained for a home draw with Paphos in last place, ...so it's all about honor in the millionaire competition. In the domestic league competition, which ended in Kazakhstan last autumn, Kairat Almaty won for the second consecutive year. But how can I evaluate the current form of a team that has only played Champions League matches since the end of October? I really don't know. Out of the last five competitive games, Kairat have played four times in the Champions League and once (in the last round) in the domestic Premier League. However, he played these games in the space of about three months, so the actual form is definitely out of the question. But just out of interest. The last league match, in which the championship was decided, ended in a 1-1 draw. The other four matches (all in the Champions League), Kairat lost. So I guess that's it for form.

Team and expected line-up

The definite certainty of qualification to the Champions League eighth round and a demanding schedule before and after the game against Kairat give the Spanish manager a unique chance to rotate the squad as much as possible. And this is exactly the step I think Mikel Arteta will take. With all due respect to the opponent, Arsenal should bring the last game of the Champions League league phase to a victorious end with any line-up. So who are we most likely to see on the pitch from the first minute?

Expected line-up

I expect the first change between the three poles. Last season, Neto started in the starting lineup in the last game of the regular season, and Aaron Ramsdale the year before. This pattern is one of the reasons why I think Kepa will start in goal on Wednesday night. Another, more essential, is the necessary rest for David Raya. Arsenal will be missing some players in defence, so it is certain that the defensive line-up will not be the same as against Manchester United. I'll get to the absentees in a moment, because even without them we would certainly see changes. Personally, I expect that on the pitch we'll definitely see Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera, and the remaining two positions will be contested Myles Lewis-Skelly, Piero Hincapié and Riccardo Calafiori. My guess is that Piero Hincapie will start at stopper and Myles Lewis-Skelly on the left flank. But that doesn't mean that an Italian footballer won't appear on the pitch during the game.

Just like the defence, the Gunners will not be complete in the midfield from a personnel point of view. The defensive midfielder position should play the whole game without any discussion. Christian Nørgaard. But who will complement him in the middle of the field? Eberechi Eze, Martin Ødegaard or even both? You can probably guess where I'm going with this. I have a hunch that Mikel Arteta will want to test how his team will play this time with Eze and Ødegaard in the centre of midfield together. Of course, the attacking trio won't be in the same lineup as the weekend either. On the flanks of the pitch they should be Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli. The biggest question is the position of a top forward. However, I ask myself, will there ever be a more opportune time to include Kai Havertz after the injury to the base? Probably not, and that's why I'm leaning towards the German footballer getting his first start in the starting lineup this season.

Absences

Mikel Arteta confirmed at the pre-match press conference that the defenders will not take part in the match due to health reasons William Saliba and Jurriën Timber. At the same time, the Spanish manager admitted that there is no serious problem with any of the players. Therefore, the absences of both players are rather preventive. They are expected to be ready for this weekend's league game at Elland Road. In the last game of the Champions League regular season, we will not see the midfielders Mikel Merino and Declana Rice. Both will serve a one-match suspension for yellow cards. The youngster will also miss Max Dowman, who was replaced on the Champions League roster before the Bruges game by striker Gabriel Jesus. Apart from the fact that the 16-year-old Englishman has not yet fully healed his injured ankle, he cannot play in the Champions League at the moment.

About the opponent

Kairat Almaty is a true midget from a Champions League perspective. The fresh champion of Kazakhstan is experiencing its first ever season in the most prestigious club competition. Unlike the domestic competition, which it dominated for the second year in a row, it is not doing well among Europe's elite. Frankly, there is little to be surprised about. To compare Kazakhstan's top competition with the Champions League would be a foul on football itself. Speaking of which. I really have no idea about the Kazakh Premier League, so this time I'm certainly not going to go into any analysis of the quality of the Kairat team or the level of the competition itself. I don't know a single name on the team roster, but I did happen to come across one interesting fact. Maybe it won't be so surprising for some of you, but there is one player on the Kazakh team's roster who is connected to Czech football. Ricardinho. Offensive footballer with a Brazilian passport is in the team of Kairat Almaty on loan until the end of the season from Viktoria Plzeň.

Match

Arsenal players have something to give back to their fans after Sunday's league game against Manchester United. And as I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, not only to them, but especially to themselves. They are still having a very decent season this year, and that's why we need to get back on a winning streak, perform dominantly and get into a mental state of well-being.. The game against Kairat should serve exactly that purpose, as Arsenal go into it as the clear favourite. And that's regardless of the line-up. I've also mentioned this more than once today, but if the Gunners fulfil their role as favourites and win, they will become the first team to go through the entire regular season of the modern Champions League format with full points. At the same time, a win would break the club's record for most Champions League wins in a row. Although it may not seem like it at first glance, Arsenal have a lot to play for.

What to expect from the match itself? In a nutshell, the clear dominance of the home team in all aspects of the game. I believe that the big difference in the quality of the teams, the home environment and the fact that Arsenal will want to bring their performance and results back to the required level. The fact that Kazakhstan's top competition ended at the end of last October will also play a major role, so Kairat's players will lack match rhythm. The only thing that may play a little bit into the hands of the underdog is that they will have nothing to lose in the match at the Emirates Stadium. However, this is also true for Arsenal with exaggeration, as they already have their promotion in the bag. However, any result other than an outright win for the Gunners will be disappointing in north London. I predict Arsenal to win 4:0.

Next match

Over the weekend, specifically Saturday 31 January 2026 at 16:00 (CET), Arsenal players will play against Leeds. After three games in the Premier League without a win, Arsenal absolutely must win at Elland Road to maintain their slim lead at the top of the league table. But I'll write about all that in my next blog.

See you next time, I'll look forward to it!

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