Arsenal host French side LOSC Lille in the UEFA Champions League league phase on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at the Emirates Stadium. Mikel Arteta’s side enter the fixture after opening their European campaign with a victory against Napoli, while the visitors arrive looking to rebound from an opening defeat against Real Betis.
Mikel Arteta Warns of Lille Threat and Explains Substitution Strategy
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta warned his side to expect a tough test against Lille during his pre-match press conference on Monday. The Spanish coach praised the French club’s organization under their coach, Davide, noting the problems they have caused to major teams.
What Davide has done is, I think, remarkable.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal Manager, via Punch Newspapers
Arteta also addressed his team selection philosophy for European fixtures, explaining that starting XIs are sometimes chosen based on how players can impact the closing stages of a contest. Sometimes I’m going to pick a team or players in relation to what I expect, especially at the beginning, that can finish the game, because that’s where most of the games are decided, at this level as well, and we have the bench and the players that are capable of doing that, and we’re going to use, obviously, that resource,
Arteta stated.
The Spaniard also reminded his players about the difficulty of returning to the latter stages of the competition after losing last season’s showpiece. Arteta noted that the squad must earn the right to reach that position again through hard work.
Double Injury Blow and Expected Lineups at the Emirates Stadium
The European encounter comes amid fitness concerns for Arsenal following their weekend Premier League victory over Leeds United.
Despite those setbacks, Arsenal received boosts ahead of kickoff as Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori were passed fit to play. The Opta supercomputer makes the Gunners overwhelming favourites, giving them a 71.0% chance of victory compared to 11.4% for Lille.
Arsenal enter this fixture holding a remarkably strong record in the league phase, having lost only two out of 31 matches in this phase. The Gunners boast an excellent defensive record in the Champions League since the start of 2025-26, ranking first per game for goals conceded at 0.44, expected goals against at 0.86, and shots on target faced at 2.9, alongside a 63% clean sheet percentage across 16 matches.
Lille arrive in North London coached by Davide Ancelotti, whose father Carlo holds the record for the most European Cup wins as a coach with five. The French visitors sit second in the French top flight after winning four, drawing one, and losing one of their opening six Ligue 1 matches. However, Lille have lost each of their last seven Champions League matches against English teams.
Olivier Giroud Returns to North London for Champions League Clash
Tuesday’s fixture brings a notable reunion as 40-year-old French striker Olivier Giroud returns to face his former club. Giroud scored 12 goals in 51 appearances for Lille this season after joining the club last season.
Reflecting on facing his former teammate, Arteta praised Giroud’s intelligence and work rate during his time in North London. Arteta described the forward as a massive threat inside the box who connected exceptionally well with other players, noting that he brought a different profile to the attack after arriving from Montpellier as a French Ligue 1 champion.
Gabriel Magalhães also shared his thoughts ahead of facing his former club, noting that he left Brazil for Lille in 2017 before joining Arsenal three years later. Gabriel made 52 appearances for the French side and gained valuable Champions League experience during his time in northern France.
How to Watch Arsenal vs Lille on TV and Live Stream
The Champions League league phase fixture kicks off at 3:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. BST on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. UK viewers can watch the match on TNT Sports 1, with broadcast coverage beginning at 7:00 p.m. BST.
Subscribers can also stream the game live via digital platforms or utilize approved international services such as Paramount+ and Amazon Prime apps depending on region, while viewers in Ireland can access Virgin Media Player.
