Arsenal currently sit top of the Champions League group phase standings following their 3-1 triumph over Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening
Ryan Taylor
10:41, 28 Nov 2025
Mikel Arteta has got Arsenal flying this season
View 2 Images
Mikel Arteta has got Arsenal flying this season(Image: Getty)
Arsenal have taken another giant leap towards securing a top-eight finish in the Champions League group phase standings following their 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich.
The Gunners are now the only club left in Europe's elite club competition with a 100 per cent record. They boast 15 points from five games and last season, Aston Villa's 16 points was enough to secure a top-eight finish.
Bayer Leverkusen and Lille also made it through with the same tally meaning Arsenal are now on the cusp of being home and dry ahead of their final three matches against Club Brugge, Inter Milan and Kairat Almaty.
If they were to finish in the top-eight as projected, it would mean they avoid the awkward knockout play-off round which is played in February.
That is even more significant because those ties - scheduled for February 16/17/18 and February 23/24/25 - are set to take place before Tottenham away and Chelsea at home in the Premier League.
Arsenal have their sights set on Premier League title glory this term and there is a chance both Tottenham and Chelsea could yet finish outside the top-eight spots in the Champions League, meaning they would have to juggle extra matches before facing the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta's side face Tottenham away on February 21 before hosting Chelsea on February 28 and extra rest would represent a great reward for their European exploits thus far.
Tottenham currently sit 16th in the Champions League standings having claimed eight points from their first five group phase games.
But Spurs host Slavia Prague and Borussia Dortmund before travelling to Eintracht Frankfurt and from the outside looking in, they have a chance to win all of those games.
Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli celebrates scoring his side's third goal with Noni Madueke during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD5 match between Arsenal FC and FC Bayern Munchen at Arsenal Stadium on November 26, 2025 in London, England.
View 2 Images
Arsenal ran out 3-1 winners over Bayern Munich(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Chelsea occupy seventh place in the Champions League standings following their 3-0 demolition of Barcelona.
Therefore, they currently occupy a top-eight spot ahead of their final three games against Atalanta, Pafos and Napoli.
They travel to Italy twice and historically, Bergamo and Naples are tricky places to go and get a result so there is every chance they could yet drop points.
Now the crux of the hard work is done, Arteta has a greater deal of flexibility to shuffle his back in the Champions League.
Club Brugge, who the Gunners face next in Europe in December, are no walkover though after recently holding Barcelona to a 3-3 draw in Belgium.
Article continues below
Arsenal also lost to Inter Milan 1-0 last season at San Siro and additionally, there is the added incentive of extra prize money per win and per spot in the final standings.