Arsenal will encounter several very familiar faces when they begin their Champions League campaign away to Napoli on Wednesday night.
Massimiliano Allegri’s squad contains four players with significant Premier League experience who could feature against Mikel Arteta’s side, including one of Arsenal’s most familiar rivals of the past decade.
Napoli’s official UEFA Champions League squad includes Kevin De Bruyne, Rasmus Højlund, Billy Gilmour and Benoît Badiashile.
Each offers Arsenal a different problem in Naples.
Credo che sia giunto il momento di mettere Kevin De Bruyne al centro del villaggio. È arrivato a Castel di Sangro (in buona forma, per ammissione delle stesso Allegri) il 5 agosto. Ha lavorato bene, ha aumentato il minutaggio, ha determinato nell'unica vittoria stagionale. A… pic.twitter.com/jymkysvWYS
— Diego Catalano (@diegocatalano77) September 6, 2026
Kevin De Bruyne remains the obvious Napoli threat
Few opposition players need less introduction to Arsenal supporters.
De Bruyne spent a decade at Manchester City and regularly found himself at the centre of Premier League title battles involving Arteta’s side.
Now 35, the Belgian is no longer operating in Pep Guardiola’s midfield, but his technical quality remains obvious.
He provides Napoli with the ability to find passes through compact defensive structures and deliver accurately from set pieces.
That latter quality could be particularly important against Arsenal.
Arteta’s side have developed into one of Europe’s strongest defensive teams, meaning Napoli may need moments of individual quality rather than sustained territorial dominance to create opportunities.
De Bruyne is still capable of producing them.
For Arsenal’s midfield, preventing him receiving the ball facing goal should therefore be one of Wednesday’s priorities.
Rasmus Højlund arrives in dangerous form
Højlund is another player Arsenal know from English football following his spell with Manchester United.
The Dane is now leading the line for Napoli and has already provided evidence that he could become their biggest goal threat.
Højlund scored in each of Napoli’s last two Serie A matches, finding the net against Como before putting Allegri’s side 2-0 ahead at Inter.
Napoli nevertheless lost both matches.
As we examined in our Napoli form before Arsenal analysis, their failure to manage those games provides Arteta’s side with encouragement, but Højlund’s individual form cannot be ignored.
His pace behind the defensive line creates a different challenge to De Bruyne’s creativity.
Arsenal’s centre-backs cannot become too aggressive when stepping into midfield because one accurate pass behind them could allow Højlund to attack open space.
That makes the fitness of Arsenal’s defensive options particularly important ahead of the trip.
Billy Gilmour gives Napoli Premier League experience
Gilmour’s Premier League career included spells with Chelsea and Brighton before his move to Italy.
The Scotland international may not carry the same headline threat as De Bruyne or Højlund, but his ability to receive possession under pressure could prove important against Arsenal’s press.
Gilmour is comfortable taking the ball in deeper areas and attempting to move possession quickly through midfield.
How Allegri uses him could depend partly on the absence of another former Premier League midfielder.
Scott McTominay is registered in Napoli’s European squad but will not face Arsenal after being ruled out for around a month following a medical issue requiring treatment, according to Reuters.
That removes one of Napoli’s biggest physical and goalscoring midfield threats from Wednesday’s contest.
Benoît Badiashile could renew Arsenal rivalry
Badiashile completes the Premier League quartet.
The France international joined Napoli after his time at Chelsea and is listed among Allegri’s defensive options for the Champions League. UEFA described him as Napoli’s major summer signing after his arrival from Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal supporters will therefore be familiar with his profile.
At 6ft 4in, Badiashile offers considerable physical presence and gives Napoli another defender capable of competing with Kai Havertz or Viktor Gyökeres.
That particular matchup could become especially interesting because Arteta still has a major decision to make over his centre-forward.
Havertz started and scored against Chelsea on Sunday, while Gyökeres came from the bench.
Wednesday’s Champions League opener may provide another opportunity for Arsenal’s £63million striker, particularly given the short turnaround between fixtures.
Arsenal face a Napoli side full of familiar qualities
Napoli’s squad extends well beyond these four names.
Allegri can also call upon Stanislav Lobotka, Frank Anguissa, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, David Neres and Noa Lang, while his experience makes Napoli tactically difficult to predict.
But Arsenal will certainly not be entering completely unfamiliar territory.
De Bruyne has spent years competing against them.
Højlund knows Premier League defenders.
Gilmour has faced Arsenal with both Chelsea and Brighton.
Badiashile was part of the same London rivalry.
Wednesday may take Arsenal to Naples.
Several of the threats waiting for them will feel much closer to home.
Napoli collapse exposes major weakness Arsenal can punish
Napoli collapse exposes major weakness Arsenal can punish
Kai Havertz gives Mikel Arteta the perfect answer to Viktor Gyökeres debate
Kai Havertz gives Mikel Arteta the perfect answer to Viktor Gyökeres debate