Arsenal are ‘the best’ team in the Champions League and the reason why is obvious

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Arsenal’s impressive start to the 2025/26 season is gradually opening the door to the possibility of winning major silverware at long last.

Arsenal’s Premier League chances are constantly spoken about; however, when it comes to the Champions League, talk quietens ever so slightly. 

Mikel Arteta led his side to the semi-finals last season, falling short of the final to a Paris Saint-Germain side who went on to win the competition. 

It’s become clear that this campaign could be very different for Arsenal, as at long last, Arteta truly has a squad capable of delivering in Europe. 

Will Arsenal win the 2025/26 Champions League?

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Arsenal’s shared defensive work could win them the Champions League, and Joe Cole agrees

Adding star names to the Arsenal squad in the summer transfer window was the beginning of the revamp, but by no means was it the end. 

That’s because Arsenal’s form this season isn’t attributable to certain individuals, but to how they operate as a unit. 

Joe Cole spoke about how Arsenal work hard defensively from the front on TNT Sports, admitting it could just win the Gunners the Champions League. 

“Obviously, the back four and everyone’s getting a lot of pats on the back, but I watch how hard the front boys work as well. Gyokeres, Saka, Madueke, Rice, Zubimendi. Like they’re a team, they’ve been put together slowly and surely by Arteta.

“I make them favourites now, Arsenal. I think they’re the best side in it.”

Cole is worried about how good Arsenal are, and he has good reason to be concerned, as the numbers reinforce the claim about how impressive the Gunners are at defending as a unit.  

As The Live Football App highlighted in October, Arsenal are one of the best teams in the Premier League when it comes to defensive work all over the pitch through pressing. 

Arsenal only allow the opposition to make an average of 10.1 passes before a defensive action is implemented.

What the numbers represent is how rampant Arsenal are when they don’t have the ball, a task that every player in Arteta’s squad has bought into.

There’s a hunger and a willingness to Arsenal this season that oppositions simply can’t cope with, boosting the Gunners’ chances of achieving European glory.

Arsenal’s pressing was a problem for the 2024/25 Champions League winners

Pressing from the front has clearly been perfected over the summer with the help of the new arrivals, but even when it wasn’t at its best, it caused problems for the opposition.

After Arsenal’s 2-0 win against PSG in the league phase of last season’s Champions League, Rafa Benitez told UEFA just how impressed he was with how Arteta’s side played. 

“The timing and understanding of when to press all together was very clear,” Benitez said.

“It was clear that the plan was to send the ball to this side; they were aggressive in their pressing against the left centre-back and left full-back, and jumped to press the midfielder if necessary. They really took advantage and regained a lot of balls.”

Ironically, it was PSG who went on to win the trophy by playing in a similar way to Arsenal this season, tirelessly, yet regimentedly, committing to the press.