Tuesday’s technical problem affecting the UK’s air traffic control provider, Nats, has caused Arsenal‘s flight to Italy for their Champions League opener against Napoli to be significantly delayed.
The team is now due to arrive in Naples at approximately 9.30 p.m. local time (8.30 p.m. BST/2.30 p.m. ET) and, in accordance with UEFA, their news conference and media activities at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona has been cancelled.
Sources have told ESPN that the team has not been unduly affected with the players, coaches and support staff staying at their training ground, which is located a short distance from London Luton Airport, while waiting for their flight time to be confirmed.
Mosquera is not travelling with the team as he continues his recovery from a muscular issue picked up in Arsenal’s Premier League win over Aston Villa on Aug. 31.
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There was better news for Jurriën Timber who is with Mikel Arteta and the rest of the group and could be in line to make his first appearance since May’s Champions League final.
The UK’s two largest airports, London Heathrow and Gatwick, have been severely affected by the air traffic control issue with both warning passengers of potential delays and to check the status of their flight before travelling.
In a statement, Nats said it was investigating and working to fix an issue in its flight processing system.
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Arsenal are looking to go one better than last season and win the Champions League for the first time in their history.
After facing Napoli, Arteta’s men play Lille, Bayern Munich, Slavia Prague, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid in their league phase fixtures.
Information from ESPN’s James Olley contributed to this story.
