Arsenal travel to Napoli on Wednesday night with an encouraging historical record against the Italian champions, having won three of the four previous competitive meetings between the clubs.
Mikel Arteta’s side begin their 2026/27 Champions League campaign at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona after reaching last season’s final.
Our Napoli vs Arsenal TV guide has the UK channel, live-stream and kick-off details, while supporters can follow the entire European campaign through our Arsenal Champions League fixtures hub.
Napoli vs Arsenal head-to-head record
Arsenal and Napoli have met only four times in competitive European football.
The record reads:
- Arsenal 2-0 Napoli, October 2013
- Napoli 2-0 Arsenal, December 2013
- Arsenal 2-0 Napoli, April 2019
- Napoli 0-1 Arsenal, April 2019
That gives Arsenal three victories from four, with Napoli’s only success coming during the 2013/14 Champions League group stage. UEFA’s official matchday facts confirm the Gunners have won each of the last two meetings.
Wednesday will therefore be the clubs’ first meeting for more than seven years.
Arsenal’s last trip to Napoli ended in victory
The most recent encounter came in the second leg of the 2018/19 Europa League quarter-final.
Arsenal travelled to Naples protecting a 2-0 first-leg advantage after Aaron Ramsey scored at the Emirates and Kalidou Koulibaly diverted Lucas Torreira’s shot into his own net.
Napoli needed an early response in the return fixture.
Instead, Alexandre Lacazette effectively ended the tie before half-time.
The French striker scored an outstanding free-kick from around 30 yards to give Arsenal a 1-0 victory on the night and 3-0 aggregate win. Arsenal’s official website later highlighted how Lacazette’s strike flew into the top corner after wrong-footing the goalkeeper.
That remains Arsenal’s only previous victory away to Napoli.
Repeating it on Wednesday would give Arteta’s side an ideal start to another Champions League campaign.
Arteta has his own Napoli history
There is also an unusual personal link for the Arsenal manager.
Arteta played in both Champions League meetings between the clubs during the 2013/14 season.
Arsenal won the first encounter 2-0 in north London before Napoli responded with the same scoreline in Italy.
The trip to Naples ended badly for Arteta personally.
UEFA records that the former Arsenal captain was sent off during the 2-0 defeat at the Stadio San Paolo, as the ground was then known.
Napoli’s victory was ultimately not enough to take them through despite finishing the group on 12 points.
More than a decade later, Arteta returns to Naples as the manager of the reigning Premier League champions.
The surroundings may be familiar.
The Arsenal team he brings with him looks very different.
Napoli have struggled recently against English opposition
There is another statistic Arteta may take encouragement from.
Napoli have lost their last three Champions League matches against English clubs, including a 2-0 defeat away to Manchester City and a 3-2 home loss against Chelsea last season.
That should not disguise the difficulty of Wednesday’s assignment.
Napoli have historically produced some major European performances at home and the atmosphere in Naples will provide a significant examination of Arsenal’s new-look squad.
But the head-to-head history is firmly in Arsenal’s favour.
Three wins from four.
Victory on their last visit.
And another opportunity to begin their Champions League campaign with a statement result in Italy.
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