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Gunners face daunting Euro draw

Arsenal will return to the Champions League next season for the first time since the 2016-17 season.

The Gunners have botched their title bid in recent weeks, but fans can still look forward to a return to Europe’s top table next term.

It could be a tough reintroduction for Mikel Arteta and Co, however, with a potential group of death in the pipeline.

Due to their lack of European success in recent years, Arsenal are likely to be in Pot 3 when the group stage draw is made in August.

Pot 1 will be littered with quality, populated by the winners of Europe’s top seven leagues, as well as the Europa League victors.

This could leave Arsenal re-matching with Bayern Munich… who famously beat Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal 10-2 on aggregate in 2017. Or they could face PSG, Barcelona or Napoli. They can’t draw Manchester City as sides from the same country are kept separate.

From Pot 2, the Gunners could draw lurking perennial European champions Real Madrid, with Carlo Ancelotti’s side having been beaten to the LaLiga title by Barcelona.

Meanwhile, in addition to the Gunners, Pot 3 is likely to be populated by teams like Shakhtar Donetsk, RB Salzburg and Lazio.

Should they get through two rounds of qualifying, Marseille could be drawn from Pot 4 to play the Gunners.

The French side are brimming with former Gooners – with Alexis Sanchez, Matteo Guendouzi and Sead Kolasinac. While Nuno Tavares has spent this season on loan at Marseille from the North Londoners.