Match Preview: Arsenal v Fenerbahçe SK; Champion’s League Playoff 2nd Leg

16 seems to be a good number for Arsenal. Aaron Ramsey, Arsenal’s current number 16 is showing that he is finally coming into his own. And Arsenal stand on the precipice of their 16th straight trip to the Group Stages of the Champion’s League.

The second leg of their qualifying round, switche venues to the safe confines of the Emirates stadium. Arsenal sit comfortably on 3-0 win after totally dominating their hosts last week. The visitors face the large task of becoming only the third contininental opponent in 50 years to inflict a home defeat of 3 goals or more. The task all the more harder as Fenerbahçe have only scored a combined three goals on eight previous trips to England.

In the fist leg Arsenal were hardly in danger of a goal from their hosts as Fenerbahçe looked completely devoid of any real attacking threat. A couple times headers or shots were mustered but none truly ever threatened to make the match interesting. Arsenal were in control from the get go and never looked back in the match.  However it did take some time for Arsenal to get into the match themselves and who could blame us supporters for being worried when Laurent Koscielny went off in the first half with a gash just above his right eye from Yobo’s boot.

Arsenal opened things up with a neat finish from Kieran Gibbs on a Walcott assist. Aaron Ramsey added the insurance policy and Giroud put European qualification within a shout by slotting home a penalty to make it all 3-0. For a match many were worried about, Arsenal looked like they never got out of 2nd gear in the match and Fenerbahçe never looked like they really wanted to be there.

I suppose this is what Bayern suporters felt like heading into the 2nd leg of our knock out round match up with them last season. 3-1 up and heading to home seems pretty comfortable.  We know better so it would be wrong to assume that Fenerbahçe won’t come in with a little more desire this time. However they need to score 3 goals just to force ET and PKs. History isn’t on their side.

Arsenal are likely to field a strong side to start and look to put the tie out of all doubt searching for a home goal. An aggregate score of 4-0 would make the outcome all but formal at that time. If Arsenal snatch that goal for the first half look for some youngsters to get blooded for the Champion’s League in the 2nd half.

All in all it does look like Arsenal will make that 16th straight trip to the Champion’s League group stages.

Players to watch:
Arsenal: Lukas Podolski. Arsenal’s leading scorer in the Champion’s League last season. He scored some beauties. His brace against Fulham in the weekend showed exactly what he is capable of.

Fenerbahçe:  Dirk Kuyt. He knows Arsenal well from his days maurauding down the Liverpool flank. Will look to help his club try and retain some Champion’s League pride by beating his former Premier League foe

Projected Lineups:
Arsenal: Szczesny; Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs;  Ramsey, Rosicky Cazorla;  Podolski, Walcott; Giroud

Fenerbahçe: Volkan; Kadlec, Alves, Yobo, Topuz; Meireles, Topal; Sow, Barone, Kuyt; Webó

Arsenal Injuries and Suspensions:
Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee) Vermaelen (back) Diaby(knee) Arteta (thigh)

Head to Head Tournament Stats:

Match Official:
Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (ESP)
Assistant referees: Roberto Alonso (ESP) , Juan Yuste (ESP)
Additional assistant referees: Carlos Gómez (ESP) , Carlos Del Cerro (ESP)
Fourth official: Javier Rodriguez (ESP)

Broadcast Information:
US: FoxSoccer 2 Go 2:45 PM EST

UK: ITV1 1945 GMT/20.45 CET

YAMA Prediction:
Arsenal: 2

Fenerbahçe: 0

Match Facts (courtesy UEFA Press Kit:)

• Fourth in the 2012/13 English Premier League, Arsenal have a 100% record in UEFA Champions League qualifiers, winning both legs as they overcame each of GNK Dinamo Zagreb (2006/07, agg 5-1), AC Sparta Praha (2007/08, agg 5-0), FC Twente (2008/09, agg 6-0), Celtic FC (2009/10, agg 5-1) and Udinese Calcio (2011/12, agg 3-1).

• Although Arsenal lost twice at home by two goals in last season’s UEFA Champions League – 2-0 against FC Schalke 04 in the group stage and 3-1 against FC Bayern München in the round of 16 – only twice in their entire European history have they suffered a defeat of the kind Fenerbahçe need now. Those two heavy losses came against FC Internazionale Milano (0-3) in the 2003/04 UEFA Champions League group stage and FC Spartak Moskva (2-5) in the 1982/83 UEFA Cup first round.

• Arsenal won the four previous European ties in which they gained a first-leg lead of 3-0:
3-0 a, 2-1 h v GNK Dinamo Zagreb, 2006/07 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round
3-0 h, 3-3 a v FC Nantes, 1999/2000 UEFA Cup third round
3-0 h, 7-0 a v R. Standard de Liège, 1993/94 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup second round
3-0 h, 4-1 a v VfB Leipzig, 1978/79 UEFA Cup first round

• League runners-up in Turkey last term, Fenerbahçe have won just once in eight previous visits to England – 1-0 at Manchester United FC in the 1996/97 group stage, Elvir Bolić scoring. Their away record against English sides is W1 D2 L5.

• The Istanbul club have suffered a 3-0 first-leg defeat in Europe only once before – away to Ruch Chorzów in the 1972/73 UEFA Cup first round, when they responded with a 1-0 home victory.

• Fenerbahçe have won five and lost just two of their last ten European away fixtures, including a 1-1 draw at FC Salzburg in this season’s third qualifying round. Moreover, they twice hit four goals on their travels last term – winning 4-1 at FC Vaslui in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, and 4-2 at VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach in the UEFA Europa League group stage.

• Fenerbahçe missed out on a sixth group stage appearance 12 months ago, suffering a play-off defeat by FC Spartak Moskva. They went on to reach their first ever European semi-final in the UEFA Europa League before losing to SL Benfica.

• Arsenal lost the 1999/2000 UEFA Cup final 4-1 on penalties to Galatasaray AŞ after a 0-0 draw – their only other meeting with a Turkish team.