How Arsenal and Man Metropolis may face ‘World Collection’ fixtures in 2026: Champions League draw key to Guardiola-Arteta matchups

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and look set to take the title race deep into the closing phases of the 2025/26 season.

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The Gunners’ emphatic 4-1 win over a beleaguered of their north London derby restored their result in 5 factors on February 22, though Metropolis have a sport in hand.

A date within the diary for followers of each golf equipment and the broader footballing world within the weekend of April 18/19, when Metropolis host Arsenal within the Premier League. After that sport, each side could have simply 5 video games to go within the English high flight.

The truth that Arsenal and Metropolis additionally meet within the Carabao Cup ultimate at Wembley on March 22 provides one other irresistible be aware to a simmering rivalry.

However by the tip of this era, Pep Guardiola and his outdated protege Mikel Arteta may have confronted off 5 instances within the area of 4 weeks. Allow us to clarify how.

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What number of instances will Arsenal and Man Metropolis play earlier than the tip of the season?

The draw for the final 16 of the Champions League takes place in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday, February 25. The draw doesn’t simply determine the video games for the primary knockout spherical correct; it can additionally decide the possible paths to the ultimate for every taking part workforce.

Arsenal gained eight out of eight league part video games and progressed in first place, whereas Metropolis wanted a win over Galatasaray on the ultimate matchweek to sneak via in eighth on aim distinction. Each groups are seeded, so they are going to face a playoff spherical winner and play the second leg of their final 16 match at residence.

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If Metropolis win their tie, they are going to face the winner of the matchups that includes both Arsenal or Bayern Munich, who completed the league part as runners-up, within the quarterfinals.

The video games in any Metropolis vs. Arsenal quarterfinal would happen on April 7/8 and April 14/15, with the second leg instantly earlier than the Premier League sport on the Etihad Stadium.

Erling Haaland and William Saliba

If that places you in thoughts of the well-known run of vs. matches that Pep Guardiola endured in 2011, issues may get much more congested relying on whether or not Arsenal and Metropolis progress from the fifth spherical of the FA Cup.

Arteta’s males face this season’s shock bundle, League One Mansfield City, at Area Mill, whereas Guardiola’s aspect will play for a fifth time this season after they journey to St James’ Park.

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If Metropolis and Arsenal get via and are drawn collectively, the FA Cup quarterfinals will happen on the weekend of April 4/5.

So, if all the celebs align…

What a Man Metropolis vs. Arsenal ‘World Collection’ may appear like

Confirmed fixtures in daring

March 22: Arsenal vs. Man Metropolis (Carabao Cup ultimate)

April 4/5: Man Metropolis vs. Arsenal (FA Cup quarterfinal)

April 7 /8: Man Metropolis vs. Arsenal (Champions League quarterfinal, 1st leg)

April 14/15: Arsenal vs. Man Metropolis (Champions League quarterfinal, 2nd leg)

April 18/19: Man Metropolis vs. Arsenal (Premier League)

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Arsenal vs. Man Metropolis head-to-head file

Total, Arsenal have a transparent benefit within the historic head-to-head, with 100 wins to Metropolis’s 65. There have been 49 attracts between the golf equipment.

Metropolis closed up this hole notably between November 2017 and April 2023 after they gained 12 consecutive Premier League video games in opposition to Arsenal.

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The final of those was a 4-1 win on the Etihad Stadium that meant Guardiola’s aspect took an enormous step in the direction of the Premier League title on the Gunners’ expense.

Since then, Arsenal haven’t tasted defeat in opposition to Metropolis in six matches, with three wins and three attracts. The primary of these attracts was within the 2023 FA Group Protect, which the north London membership gained on penalties.

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