A point guarantees they avoid the play-off, a victory gives them a chance of leapfrogging Barcelona into second, while even a narrow defeat should still see the Gunners finish in the top eight given their superior goal difference.

I suspect Mikel Arteta will have his troops prepared to get the result they need against already eliminated Girona, and he will know that a clean sheet guarantees them safe passage, whether or not the Gunners actually win the match.

That looks like the main angle in here given the two sides respective showings throughout this league phase.

What are the best bets?

We can get a huge 6/4 about ARSENAL KEEPING A CLEAN SHEET here and that looks a cracking bet.

CLICK HERE to bet on Girona vs Arsenal with Sky Bet

Put simply, Arsenal have conceded the second fewest goals in the league phase, allowing a stingy two across seven matches, while only one team has scored fewer than Girona's four.

The Gunners have kept five clean sheets in seven, while the Spaniards have blanked in five of seven.

Dig deeper, and we find that Arsenal have in fact been the best defensive team in the competition according to expected goals, allowing just 0.71 xGA per game.

Against sides who were drawn out of pots one and two, Girona have generated just 0.80 xGF per game, failing to score in all of those contests - including against Liverpool in Spain.

Taking this bet makes more appeal than backing Arsenal to win nil at a slightly bigger price, with the Gunners also failing to find the net in two of three away UCL matches thus far.

They'll head to Spain wanting to keep the game uneventful, keeping a clean sheet and progressing, while conserving energy ahead of a big game against Manchester City at the weekend.

With the game likely to be uneventful, I hope, backing against cards could bear fruit also, with UNDER 3.5 CARDS another value bet at 11/8.

CLICK HERE to bet on Girona vs Arsenal with Sky Bet

Arsenal have been a very low-card team throughout the league phase, receiving just 10 yellows in seven games (1.42 per game), while the Gunners have only drawn nine cards (1.29 per game).

That totals at a per game average of just 2.71, with this bet landing in five of seven outings.

Girona have, admittedly, been at the other end of that scale, with their games averaging 5.57 cards, but two of their last three outings have been much lower than that, and with the league phase petering out for them as an already eliminated team, they could take their foot off the fouling gas.

Throw in a good referee for a a low card game, Italian Marizio Mariani, who has averaged just 3.4 cards per game in European competition this season, and the 11/8 looks large.

Those wanting extra security can back Under 4.0 cards at bet365 which gives you your money back if there are exactly four cards in the game, and a winner if there are three or fewer.

This wouldn't have lost in any of Arsenal's games in the competition.

Team news

Myles Lewis-Skelly, the man at the centre of Premier League controversy at the weekend, is expected to play in Spain, with Riccardo Calafiori likely to be saved for the upcoming clash with Manchester City.

Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino are both doubts for this one while all of Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White remain sidelined.

As for Girona, they will be without Tottenham Hotspur-owned attacker Bryan Gil who is suspended, while former Manchester United defender Daley Blind is an injury doubt.

The Spanish could also to be missing number on goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, though manager Michel was optimistic the former Southampton and Spurs man would be fit for Wednesday.

Predicted line-ups

Girona: Gazzaniga; Martinez, D. Lopez, Juanpe, Frances; Romeu, Herrera; Tsygankov, Van de Beek, Danjuma; Ruiz

Arsenal: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Nwaneri, Havertz, Martinelli

Match facts

Girona will face Arsenal for the very first time; the Spaniards’ most recent home game in the UEFA Champions League also come against an English opponent, losing 1-0 to Liverpool on MD6.
Arsenal won their most recent away game against Spanish opposition in the UEFA Champions League, 2-1 at Sevilla in October 2023, last winning back-to-back such matches in the competition in February 2004-February 2006 (v Celta de Vigo and Real Madrid).
Girona have lost each of their last four UEFA Champions League games, failing to score a single goal along the way. No team from one of Europe’s big five leagues has ever lost five in a row without scoring before.
After four consecutive away UEFA Champions League games without a goal, Arsenal won 5-1 against Sporting CP on MD5. They last won consecutive away games in the competition in November-December 2016.
Arsenal have conceded just two goals in the UEFA Champions League this season, shipping a penalty goal against Internazionale and from a corner against Sporting CP. They’re one of two teams (along with Inter) yet to concede from open play in this season’s competition.
Girona have the biggest negative difference between their goals scored (4) and their xG (8.9) in the UEFA Champions League this season, netting around five goals fewer than expected based on the quality of their chances.
Only Atalanta (13) have faced fewer shots on target than Arsenal (16) in this season’s UEFA Champions League. The Gunners’ average of 2.3 shots on target faced per game is their lowest on record in a single campaign (since 2003-04).
Under Mikel Arteta, 64% (7/11) of Arsenal’s away UEFA Champions League goals have been scored by players called Gabriel – three by Gabriel Jesus, three by Gabriel Martinelli and one by Gabriel Magalhães.
Of players to play at least 270 minutes in this season’s UEFA Champions League, only Christoph Baumgartner (3.5) is averaging more fouls conceded per 90 minutes than Girona pair Yangel Herrera (3.2) and Alejandro Francés (3.1).
With four goals and one assist, Arsenal’s Kai Havertz is enjoying his best UEFA Champions League campaign in terms of both goals and goal involvements. He’s scored in his last three games in the competition, with Marco Reus between 2014 and 2015 the last German player to score in four in a row.

Odds correct at 1745 GMT (28/01/25)

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