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Atalanta co-owner makes major decision ahead of Arsenal Champions League clash

lee wilmot
·2-min read
Stephen Pagliuca, owner of Atalanta BC looks on before the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and AC Milan
-Credit: (Image: Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)


Arsenal return to Champions League action on Thursday night - yes really Thursday night - as they take on Italian side Atalanta. It will be the Gunners' first of eight fixtures in the newly-expanded league phase.

Atalanta won the Europa League last season - ending Bayer Leverkusen's incredible unbeaten season in the process - to clinch their place in this season's Champions League.

On the pitch it is sure to be an entertaining encounter, with an average of four goals in each of the Italian sides' four matches in the league so far this season.

Off the pitch there is something going on too, however. Ahead of the meeting with Arsenal, Atalanta's co-owner Steve Pagliuca - who was in the running to takeover at Chelsea before Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital won the race - is attempting to add another club to his burgeoning portfolio.

Pagliuca already co-owns the NBA team the Boston Celtics, as well as Atalanta, and is now discuissing a takeover at Paris-based football club Red Star FC.

Red Star are currently owned by 777 Partners - the group who tried and failed to complete a takeover of Everton earlier this year. Pagliuca has previously admitted that he is interested in investing in a French football club and Red Star could be the in that he has been looking for.

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Every match matters in the new Champions League league phase, with the top eight teams after eight matches each going through to the last 16. The teams finishing from ninth to 24th will then play a play-off round to get through to the last 16, with the bottom eight teams dumped out of the competition.

Arsenal will be without Martin Odegaard once again for Thursday night's clash, but Declan Rice will return after serving a one-match ban for the North London Derby against Tottenham.