The outcome of this clash is of no importance to either team for any reason other than personal stats and honour. Girona dropped out a long time ago and Arsenal are guaranteed a place in the top eight because of their good goal difference.
Girona made their UEFA tournament debut this season, but unfortunately, they are unlikely to remember this campaign fondly. One more loss and they'll improve on some pretty negative records of teams in the top five leagues in Europe.
Apart from the four consecutive losses in the Champions League, it should also be noted that they failed to score a single goal in those games. Only Bologna and Young Boys have scored fewer goals than Girona in this phase of the tournament. Add to that the fact that Girona have conceded seven losses in their last 10 games in all competitions, and the picture doesn't look positive at all.
Arsenal, on the other hand, are finally starting to show some character and recorded key wins in the last week. The 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb guaranteed them qualification to the round of 16. And the 0-1 win over Wolverhampton certainly raised the temperature in their camp because the refereeing decisions could have hurt them very badly. But all this should be a huge motivator for the near future.
How the bookies view it: They do not rule out the hosts
The Gunners are the clear favourites in this clash, but there is still little value left in the odds. You can pick the visitors at 11/20, while Girona are at 17/4. A draw is always an option, in which case you can pick it at 10/3.
Recent head to head: A new rivalry that's unlikely to last
Girona are playing in the Champions League for the first time, meaning they haven't met any of the usual participants in the past. This will be the first match between Girona and Arsenal.
Players to watch: One for the future
Arsena's injury list is no longer as long but the names on it include some of their most impactful players. Ben White, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Takehiro Tomiyasu will miss this match.
These absences create opportunities for players who usually don't get many opportunities. We expect to see 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri in the starting line-up, so the youngster will be extremely excited to prove himself.
Probable line-ups
Girona: Gazzaniga, Blind, Lopez, Juanpe, Martinez, Romeu, Herrera, Danjuma, Beek, Tsyhankov, Ruiz
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Magalhaes, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Jorginho, Partey, Trossard, Havertz, Nwaneri
Anything else catch the eye?
A win is not mandatory for either team if we are talking about their ranking. Still, Girona will do their best to win and end their losing streak. Arsenal, on the other hand, have made too many missteps this season and another loss would have a bad effect.
We expect the Gunners to show a desire to win and try to achieve a second consecutive away win in the CL for the first time since 2016. It's too early to guess whether there will be goals or not. It all depends on whether we guess the starting line-ups or Arteta surprises us with other rotations. If we guess right, we expect to see goals.
This UEFA Champions League match between Girona and Arsenal will be played on Jan 29, 2025 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Girona vs Arsenal prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
