Kari Tulinius is also there: “I chose to watch this game, even though I suspected it would be a dreaded tactical battle, because I am an Arsenal fan. I just watched the game I wanted to watch instead and saw that it was 1-1 in Monaco against Barcelona and that the latter had already had a player sent off. Should I be sensible and switch to the much more promising game? No, because I am a fan and would rather moan about my team than enjoy watching another.”

Charles Antaki is back: “I’m ready to hear Gabriel Jesus having the game of his life, causing endless problems for defenders and generally being a viperous threat ready to pounce. Instead of, well, being busy, falling over and losing the ball. It’s one or the other, isn’t it? More evidence of the former, please.”

Half time score: Atalanta 0-0 Arsenal

45 minutes: Only one minute of extra time is added and no major incidents occur.

44 minutes: Mik Arteta is angry that his team has lost the ball again. His team defended well, but it is hard not to yearn for the free-spirited disco dancers of two years ago.

43 minutes: A rare attack from Arsenal, Saka and Jesus try to link the ball together, but Atalanta are quick to the danger.

Richard Hirst: “If Franc(is)esco Rossi comes on as a substitute for Atalanta, will he shine everywhere on the pitch?”

He celebrates this by rolling over and lying deeper and deeper.

(Yeah, not much going on here.)

41 minutes: Eagle Brosi gets in touch: “For years we Arsenal fans have suffered the indignity of playing on a Thursday night in Europe and now that the team has actually qualified for the Champions League we are playing on a Thursday night again. It feels like a discount or somehow cheaper. The commentary team here in America is not Micah, Henry or Carragher (like on Tuesdays and Wednesdays), they are outdated stars from the 94 US team. I hate this extended group stage.” Three days is indeed a bit much.

39 minutes: Lookman, in that free role, turns into the far corner, turns and Ruggeri just fails to keep the ball in. Such a dangerous player, it’s amazing he never made it in English football, although there’s still time. Gasperini is giving him a free spirit, it seems.

36 minutes: De Roon overhits a pass to Zappacosta on the burst. I once saw Antonio Conte hounding “Zappa” down the Bournemouth wing for an entire half when he was at Chelsea, telling him his every move. Well, more shouting. He’s had a decent career since then, so here we go.

33 minutes: Arsenal aren’t enjoying this as they might. Atalanta are squeezing them as they will. Saliba and Gabriel are the only players getting time on the ball.

31 minutes: Retegui was one of those disappointments in that oh so disappointing Italian team at the Euros. For those of us who grew up with the beloved, late Toto Schillaci as an ideal, they were a sad sight. The Italian team in 1990 was glorious, but also unhappy.

28 minutes: As the half hour approaches, we find ourselves in the dreaded territory of an intriguing tactical battle. Atalanta have more possession than they would like… but suddenly there is a gap and De Ketelaere finds space and Retegui shoots.

26 minutes: Now some animation from Gasperini, bouncing in his club vest. Arteta asks Rice and Partey to weave in the middle. They keep it tight enough. Lookman is the wild card and his slipping ball causes a minor panic.

24 minutes: Martinelli is pushed back; Atalanta is just as disciplined and no one can escape the other. Hien intercepts, charges through and then discovers that his ball has been intercepted.

22 minutes: As soon as Arsenal lose the ball, they are back in a large group, including Kai Havertz, who is right at the back in his own half.

21 minutes: Arsenal now have much more possession. Comfortable in possession and testing the discipline of the Atalanta defence.

18 minutes: Havertz, always the ghoster in space, chases a throw-in and plays the ball to Martinelli, who swings and misses. He leans back. Not in the best of form, the Brazilian, when he can be so good.

17 minutes: Gasperini is more relentless than ever on the touchline. This is an evenly matched battle, with both teams continuing to pose a threat to each other.

15 minutes: De Roon dictates from deep as Atalanta push forward. Lookman drops deep again and stalks around. Rice comes back to clean up and heads Lookman’s chip away. Good cover from the former Irish international.

13 minutes: Gunners free kick. Saka is brought down by Ederson who is shown a yellow card. He will now be on sudden death. Carnesecchi sets up his wall. Saka takes a stuttering step, then hits a daisy-cutter, and the keeper makes a fine save. Arsenal fail to seize the rebound.

11 minutes: First move from Lookman, pick up the ball deep and then, as the ball comes in, make a header. It goes wide.

10 minutes: On a throw-in, Arteta urges Timber to push forward, but the ball ends up with Atalanta, who are purposeful with their passes.

8 minutes: Both coaches look intense. The home fans are far from silenced.

6 minutes: Havertz grabs a loose ball and fires wide. Nice and alert, the Gunners attackers tonight. Win this game and you’re well on your way to ninth place, or 24th, if you fancy a play-off. See, easy.

5 minutes: Carnesecchi, the keeper, clears Rice’s corner. Still, it looked dangerous. That the Gunners are good in set-pieces is such a comfort to those of us who remember their 90s.

4 minutes: It’s Jesus who directs the Gunners’ pressure, and then, as he wins the ball high, Saka steps in, and his shot bounces back for a corner. Set piece alert!

3 minutes: As we expect from Atalanta, they go high and that means the Gunners’ defenders will need to be able to pass well.

And here we go….

There goes the national anthem, and Mikel Arteta and Gasperini share a moment of smiles and warmth.

Kick-off in Bergamo is almost here. And that means Arsenal are just 137 games away from the final in Munich. Where will they finish in the top 36 tonight? Bergamo now hosts the games. Four years ago – and fatefully amid the Covid-20 outbreak – Atalanta travelled to Milan for the Champions League games.

Krishna gets in touch: “The alphabetically aligned clash in this new “clear as mud” draw is going to be an interesting clash. As you said, Arsenal is Arsenal and a team that has beaten Bayer Leverkusen cannot be taken lightly.”

Yes, Leverkusen crushed Feyenoord as we waited for kick-off, winning 4-0 and leading by four goals at half-time.

Peter Oh is in: “Greetings from California, where it’s almost lunchtime. The surname of the Atalanta goalkeeper – Carnesecchi – is Italian for ‘dried meat’. Combined with Arsenal’s Rice, this match might just be the tastiest on the Champions League menu today!”

And Charles Antaki: “So we get another look at dear old Sead Kolašinac – a player of mixed memories for the Arsenal fan: the first look he gave was of a rather impressive tank, roaring up and down the left flank; but then, as tanks inevitably do, his mobility and vulnerability were eventually revealed and exploited by the opposition. Shame. But for many, the lasting image is this still rather disturbing footage of him fending off armed attackers on the high streets of North London. Give them hell, Sead! (Preferably not tonight).”

The full team composition:

Atalanta: Carnesecchi, Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac, Zappacosta, de Roon, Ederson Silva, Ruggeri, De Ketelaere, Lookman, Retegui. Subs: Rui Patricio, Rossi, Kossounou, Cuadrado, Pasalic, Zaniolo, Bellanova, Palestra, Brescianini, Vlahovic, Del Lungo, Samardzic.

Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, Havertz, Partey, Rice, Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Martinelli. Substitutes: Neto, Kiwior, Sterling, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, Oulad M’Hand, Butler-Oyedeji, Gower, Porter, Jorginho, Trossard.

Referee: Clément Turpin (Burgundy)

Timber also as a left back. That was the plan a year ago, until injury intervened. Riccardo Calafiori is on the bench after returning from his own injury.

As predicted, Jesus for Arsenalwith Saka in, despite his cramp against Spurs. Lookman in for Atalanta, with former Gunner Sead Kolasinac playing with former Chelsea man Davide Zappacosta.

The starting teams

David Hytner can’t help but look forward to Sunday’s clash with City.

Early team news

Kieran Tierney, Mikel Merino, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all out, with Martin Odegaard apparently on that list for the foreseeable future. Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori are ready to go. Gabriel Jesus back? Bukayo Saka rested? Mikel Arteta still has a strong hand to play.

Ademola Lookman, Wandsworth’s best, the hero of Lansdowne Road, is expected to start amid something of an injury crisis for Gasperini. Defence has been bereft of Ben Godfrey, once of Everton, young prospect Giorgio Scalvini and club captain Rafael Toloi are all out, and so is West Ham “legend” Gianluca Scamacca.

Preamble