Champions League talking points: Is this Arsenal's year? Which stars shone for their team?

Behold, the Chaaaaampiooooons! That dependable you perceive is our corporate joyousness astatine the instrumentality of the UEFA Champions League, with Tuesday, Wednesday and present Thursday making up what's been a superb Matchday 1. We've had melodramatic comebacks by Liverpool (against Atlético Madrid), Real Madrid (against Marseille), FK Qarabag (against Benfica) and Juventus (against Borussia Dortmund), awesome wins for Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, and upsets successful the signifier of Union St.-Gilloise's triumph astatine PSV Eindhoven.

This is what you often get with Europe's elite nine competition, and this week has provided plentifulness to speech astir arsenic the league signifier kicks into gear.

ESPN experts Mark Ogden, Julien Laurens, Sam Tighe and Gab Marcotti connection their thoughts connected Matchday 1 truthful far, with much to travel aft Thursday's matches which see Newcastle United vs. Barcelona and Manchester City vs. Napoli.

Do Arsenal person the squad/talent/depth to yet triumph the Champions League this year?

Mark Ogden: Yes, but they're astir apt successful the 2nd bracket of teams susceptible of winning it, extracurricular the existent heavyweights -- fundamentally the large clubs that person won it astatine slightest erstwhile before.

Arsenal person the squad, the idiosyncratic players and the tactical subject to spell each the way, but I wonderment if they person the content that they tin bash it erstwhile the unit is truly on. There is besides an contented with creativity erstwhile Martin Ødegaard is missing. Without him, everything goes retired wide and Arsenal make thing done the mediate -- they request to resoluteness that if they are to triumph the competition.

Ultimately, they person the players now. They conscionable request to spell retired and beryllium it.

Gab Marcotti: Sure, wherefore not? They came beauteous darn adjacent past year, and spent a ton successful the summer. Meanwhile, I'm not definite the different semifinalists got overmuch better. Inter Milan and Barcelona went backwards, and we'll find retired whether ditching Gianluigi Donnarumma for Lucas Chevalier successful extremity was arsenic clever arsenic Luis Enrique thought it was.

The Gunners are evidently overmuch deeper and, successful fact, Arteta virtually has much than 2 options for each position. But that besides presents a challenge. He's ne'er been successful this presumption before, and having emphasized chemistry and cohesion successful the past, antheral absorption tin beryllium overmuch harder erstwhile you person much choices.

- Ogden: Read Entire Article