Arsenal to benefit from brand new Champions League rule after Inter Milan win

Arsenal have secured a top-two finish in the Champions League league phase after beating Inter Milan 3-1 on Tuesday, with new rules sent to give the Gunners a major benefit

Arsenal head into the knockout stages of the Champions League holding a significant advantage due to securing a first or second-place finish in the standings. The Gunners have been in flawless form in Europe this season, winning each of their seven matches in the competition so far.

And Tuesday night’s 3-1 victory over Inter Milan ensures that the lowest Mikel Arteta’s side can finish in the league phase of the competition is second. Arsenal sit at the top with a total of 21 points, six points clear of Bayern Munich, who play on Wednesday.

While the Bundesliga giants could theoretically overtake them, given they have a game in hand over the Gunners, the permutations needed for that to happen are complex. Not only would Bayern need to win Wednesday’s match against Union Saint-Gilloise and their final league match against PSV in a week-and-a-day’s time, but they would also require Arsenal to lose their own match with bottom-of-the-table Kairat on the same night.

They would also have to make up a goal difference of seven to have any chance of overtaking the English favourites. Second-place Real Madrid are also out of the question, given they have also played seven games and hold 15 points for their efforts.

League position is particularly crucial for the current Champions League campaign given the advantages associated with finishing in the top two. A new rule stipulates that the higher a team finishes, the easier their path to the competition’s final due to home advantage.

For instance, teams who secure a top four finish will be granted second-leg home games for the last 16 and quarter-finals. Meanwhile, the top two teams in the table will also enjoy second-leg home advantages in the semi-finals.

Playing the second-leg of each of these matches at home could provide a significant boost. If Arsenal manage to gain an advantage away from home going into the return leg, they can use strong home support to maintain or even extend their lead.

On the other hand, if they need to stage a comeback in the second-leg, they’ll be better positioned to do so on home ground, rather than in a hostile away environment. This comes as Arsenal displayed formidable form at San Siro on Tuesday evening.

Gabriel Jesus netted the opener for the Gunners 10 minutes into their clash with Inter Milan, before Petar Susic equalised eight minutes later. Jesus completed his brace in the 31st minute, ensuring Arsenal went into half-time with a lead.

After a closely contested second half, Viktor Gyokeres secured the victory for Arsenal with just six minutes left on the clock, maintaining his team’s unbeaten streak in Europe.

Arsenal’s next challenge is a Premier League match against Manchester United at home on Sunday. They then welcome Kairat for their final group stage Champions League match next Wednesday.