Arsenal are set to face Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid in the League Phase of the Champions League.
The draw for Europe’s elite competition was made in Monaco on Thursday evening, with each club learning the eight teams they will face between September and January.
The Gunners will take on some familiar sides, visiting the San Siro for the second year running, and taking on old foes Bayern at the Emirates.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side will also face some fresh opposition, with trips to Club Brugge and Athletic Club, as well as a home game against Kairat Almaty to come.
Theo Walcott shares his thoughts on Arsenal’s Champions League draw
Arsenal reached the Champions League semi-final last season, before being beaten over two legs by an excellent Paris Saint-Germain side.
The Gunners will hope to go one step further this term and reach their first final in Europe’s most prestigious club competition since 2006.
Arteta’s team have been handed a relatively kind draw for the League Phase, which should give them an excellent chance of progressing in the top eight and through to the last 16.
The North London outfit travel to Bilbao, Prague, Brugge and Milan, while hosting Bayern, Atletico, Olympiacos and Almaty in N5.
Speaking to Arsenal.com, former Gunners winger Theo Walcott revealed his thoughts on the set of fixtures, describing the match-up with Bayern as ‘fascinating’.
“All the games are really exciting,” Walcott said in Monaco.
“I look at Bayern Munich, seeing the likes of Harry Kane coming to England to play at the Emirates, which will be very hostile for him, I’m sure, it will be fascinating.
“Olympiacos, I’ve played them a few times; a very difficult team to play. They’re all standout fixtures and Arsenal will want to go that one step further than they have done in previous years. I feel like this year, they’re a bit more equipped with the squad and depth they now have.
“I’m really pleased with Arsenal’s fixtures, they don’t have to travel as far as well, so I think that’s a bonus going into the domestic side of things. It’s a good night, but they will want to be in that final.”
What Theo Walcott said about Arsenal’s squad
Arsenal fans were relatively content with the draw, with most believing all eight matches are winnable.
Andrea Berta has spent in excess of £250 million on seven players this summer, meaning the Gunners should be better equipped to compete on multiple fronts, with players less likely to burn out or become fatigued.
Walcott waxed lyrical about Berta’s transfer business and the ambition shown by the club, when speaking after the Champions League draw.
“I think the ambition is always to be successful,” he said.
“When you look at the number of players that have come in, the whole board and Josh Kroenke have done incredibly well, and Andrea as well, who’s just come in.
“I think it’s that competitive edge they have now, that hunger, that desire, that fight, I think that’s the change Arsenal will show this year, and the signing of Viktor Gyokeres as well, which is the missing piece of the puzzle.
“I think they’re really well equipped to be in a really good place. They’ve got so many players to pick from.
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