What Pep Guardiola has already said about Atalanta should strike fear into Mikel Arteta and Arsenal

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Arsenal are all set to face Atalanta in their opening Champions League fixture of the 2024/25 season.

The Gunners went as far as the quarter-finals last term and looked really good. However, Mikel Arteta’s men fell short at that stage, losing to Bayern Munich over two legs.

Arsenal have named a 23-man squad for this season’s Champions League, and there is no reason why they cannot go all the way in the competition.

However, their first test is a really tricky one – just ask Pep Guardiola.

What Pep Guardiola thinks about Arsenal’s opponents Atalanta

Atalanta are a really difficult side to face.

Gian Piero Gasperini has done a phenomenal job at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia over the last eight years, and his side have performed brilliantly against the big clubs as well.

Just last season, Atalanta beat Liverpool 4-0 across two legs. That included a 3-0 win over Jurgen Klopp’s side at Anfield.

The Reds came under a lot of criticism then, but Guardiola’s verdict on the Serie A side made everyone realise that it was not much of a shock result.

Guardiola claimed that Atalanta are so good that they are capable of beating any club in world football whenever they want.

That should act as a stern warning for Arteta and Arsenal, who face them in Bergamo on Thursday night.

Guardiola said in May 2024, as per Roma Press: “They faced Atalanta in the Europa League. Have you seen Atalanta-Roma? The match they played, wow! Atalanta are incredible, they can beat any team they want.”

Previously, in November 2019, Guardiola paid another huge tribute to Gasperini’s Atalanta after facing them in the Champions League.

“Playing Atlanta is like going to the dentist – it’s really, really tough and we knew that it would be,” he told The Independent.

READ MORE: Jose Mourinho has already fired a warning to Mikel Arteta as Arsenal face ‘difficult’ Atalanta test

What can Arsenal expect from Atalanta?

Arsenal should be prepared for a really difficult evening against Atalanta.

The Serie A side may not have the big names that Arteta does, but they are collectively fantastic and can beat any side on their day.

Atalanta play with a three-man defence and a midfield setup that can be relentless on the press. When Gasperini’s men attack, they can have six or seven players in the opposition third to have an impact.

To add to that, Jorginho has revealed that Atalanta are a very physical side, which makes them even more difficult to beat.

However, if Arsenal are at their best on Thursday night, they should be able to kick off their Champions League campaign with a win.