Arsenal will aim to secure their place in the Champions League knockout stage as they travel to Spain to face Girona, who have already been eliminated. Kickoff at Estadi Montilivi is set for Wednesday, January 29, at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Here is my Arsenal vs. Girona prediction and Champions League odds for today's match.
Arsenal vs. Girona Prediction, Pick, Champions League Odds
Arsenal Odds | ||
---|---|---|
Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1 -105 | 2.5 -140o / 110u | -170 |
Girona Odds | ||
---|---|---|
Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1 -130 | 2.5 -140o / 110u | +425 |
- Arsenal vs. Girona moneyline odds: Arsenal -170, Draw +310, Girona +425
- Arsenal vs. Girona over/under: 2.5 Goals (Over -140, Under +110)
- Arsenal vs. Girona picks: Arsenal ML and clean sheet
I am backing Arsenal to win and to keep a clean sheet in the Arsenal vs. Girona match.
Arsenal Prediction
“Watching Arsenal is like watching Netflix … you always have to wait for the next season,” said former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra in late October. Arsenal fans weren’t amused by these comments, as they aim to compete for significant silverware this year.
Saturday’s win over Wolverhampton kept them in the fight with Liverpool for the Premier League title, a trophy they haven’t lifted in 21 years. Arsenal has never won a Champions League and will also look to break that streak this time.
With 16 points from seven matches, Arsenal sits third in the overall standings of the European tournament. Only an extremely unlikely sequence of results would prevent them from advancing directly to the Round of 16.
Bukayo Saka remains a key absence due to injury, as do Gabriel Jesus, Ben White, and Takehiro Tomiyasu. On a positive note, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino are expected to return.
Girona Prediction
The Catalan team will exit their maiden Champions League campaign with a sense of unfulfilled potential. It’s true that they faced a tough fixture featuring high-caliber opponents like AC Milan, Liverpool, and PSG, but their adventure ended prematurely with one win and six losses.
Hosting Arsenal at a stadium that, just three years ago, was home to second-division matches will be a special way to close out this historic campaign. Currently eighth in LaLiga, Girona’s return to Europe’s premier club competition next year seems unlikely, so they’ll aim to make the most of these final 90 minutes.
Girona will also have the chance to break a three-match losing streak across all competitions. However, it will not be easy: goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga and Daley Blind have joined an injury list that already includes Miguel Gutiérrez and Ladislav Krejci. In addition, Bryan Gil (former Spurs player, like Gazzaniga) is suspended due to yellow card accumulation.
Coach Míchel, the mastermind behind last season’s third-place finish, is expected to give minutes to less frequently used players. Pau López will start in goal, with a mix of young talents like Alejandro Francés and Jhon Solís, alongside experienced players such as Juanpe Ramírez, Portu and Cristhian Stuani.
Arsenal vs. Girona Picks
Arsenal may play cautiously, with qualification virtually secured and their focus shifting to upcoming challenges. On Sunday, they’ll host Manchester City in a crucial Premier League clash, followed by a trip to Newcastle next Wednesday to overturn a 2-0 down in the EPL Cup semifinals.
Despite this, the difference in squad quality is significant, and manager Mikel Arteta rarely leaves anything to chance, even in matches like this. For these reasons, the London side enters as the clear favorite.
With the moneyline at -170 for an away win, a good option is to combine that pick with an Arsenal clean sheet. David Raya has kept five clean sheets in the Champions League so far, and the Gunners’ defense is among the most effective in Europe.