Max Dowman could break another Arsenal record in Wednesday's UEFA Champions League clash in Czechia but could've broken an even bigger one were it not for an injury

Max Dowman could become Arsenal’s youngest ever UEFA Champions League starter should he feature on Wednesday night from the off against Slavia Praha. At 16 years and 308 days old, he would break a record set more than 22 years ago.

Cesc Fabregas is the current holder of the record. He made his Champions League debut as a starter against Panathinaikos on October 20, 2004, aged 17 years and 169 days. Dowman, who has been compared to the Spaniard he will supersede in this sense, has been serving a three-match ban after being sent off against Fleetwood Town.

He missed the match against Liverpool at the weekend and will sit out subsequent Premier League matches against Hull City and Newcastle United. However, with the ban exclusive to domestic fixtures, he is eligible to start against Slavia.

Make sure you never miss the latest Arsenal news and opinion by making Football London one of your Google preferred sources

Dowman became the Champions League’s youngest-ever appearance maker last season when he came off the bench against the same Czech opponent he faces on Wednesday. At 15 years and 308 days, he broke the record set by then-Borussia Dortmund player Youssoufa Moukoko, who was 16 years and 18 days old.

“What he's done on the pitch, he comes in the first ball, he takes people on and starts to dribble, gets a foul,” Mikel Arteta said following Dowman’s appearance against Slavia Praha last season.

“That's personality, that's courage, and you cannot teach that. You have it, or you don't, and it doesn't matter what his passport says; you throw him in this context, and he's able to adapt and have a good performance. I'm really happy with that.”

However, should Dowman start on Wednesday, he will not become the competition's youngest-ever starter. That accolade belongs to Lamine Yamal of Barcelona.

The Spaniard was 16 years and 83 days old when he started against Porto in a 1-0 away win in 2023. Dowman cannot break this record, but sadly could have done so were it not for an injury.

Dowman would have likely started for Arsenal in their Champions League game against Kairat Almaty last season and would have been only 16 years and 28 days old when the teams met on January 28. The youngster missed the game due to an ankle injury suffered in a behind-closed-doors friendly clash with Manchester United.