Arsenal hit by travel chaos cancellation ahead of Napoli clash

Air traffic problems do not pick and choose football clubs. When the system fails, a Champions League presser becomes the least of the airport's worries. Media duties are still a UEFA box to tick. Cancel one and the rulebook mentions fines, then mentions force majeure in the next line. A late landing the night before an 8pm kick-off eats recovery time. Managers would rather talk on the grass than sit on a runway. Mikel Arteta's pre-match press conference in Naples has been cancelled because Arsenal's squad is not expected to arrive until 9.30pm on Tuesday. TalkSPORT report the delay is down to air traffic control issues that have hit passengers across the UK, including flights from London airports, after a technical problem with the system. The champions were due to fly from London Luton, close to the training ground. Thousands of travellers have been affected in the last 24 hours. Arteta was scheduled to speak on Tuesday afternoon. That slot has gone. UEFA can fine clubs that miss media obligations. A penalty applies if a press conference is delayed by an hour. The same regulations allow plans to change when events are beyond a club's control. The ruling reads: 'Clubs may only change their MD-1 plans on account of force majeure and with the agreement of UEFA.' Because the fault sits with air traffic control, talkSPORT say there is a good chance UEFA will not sanction Arsenal. The bigger concern is preparation. Wednesday's league-phase opener at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona kicks off at 8pm UK time and is on TNT Sports 2. Cristhian Mosquera remains out with the muscular problem from Aston Villa. Jurrien Timber is fit enough to travel, his first involvement since the Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in May. William Saliba is still recovering from a back injury. Arsenal went 14 European games unbeaten last season before losing that final on penalties in Budapest. They want a cleaner start this time. After Napoli come Lille, Bayern Munich, Slavia Prague, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid in a demanding league-phase run. A cancelled press conference will not decide the result. A squad walking into a hotel close to 10pm the night before a first away night in Italy is not ideal. Until the wheels are down, that is the story. Force majeure for UEFA. A late dinner for Arteta. NEXT ARTICLE: Bruno Guimaraes return date revealed ahead of Napoli clash