Fenerbahçe vs Arsenal preview

Frustrating summer but there remains plenty of optimism

Arsenal have endured a frustrating summer on the transfer front, but, after a strong end to 2012/13 and with Jack Wilshere fit, hopes of a 16th successive UEFA Champions League campaign are high.

Wenger has been at the helm throughout as he enters his 18th season at Arsenal – his obsession, a club as close to his heart as it is his first name. Yet it has been a difficult summer, with the manager's declaration that "we will be active" in the transfer market thus far unrealised. To date the club have added only 20-year-old striker Yaya Sanogo on a free transfer from AJ Auxerre.

Fenerbahce games absolutely key

Arsène Wenger believes the Champions League play-off matches against Fenerbahce will be Arsenal’s most important of the season.

“Yes of course [they are the most important games of the season],” he told Arsenal Player. “We fought very hard last season to be in the top four and that game has a vital importance.

"It's a consequence of what we tried to achieve last season and therefore, on the back of our defeat against Aston Villa, it's important as well to bounce back straight away.

“To be part of the top level - that is for us the most important thing. All the rest are the consequences of it. When you are a football player, you want to play at the top level and that's what the Champions League is about.

Fenerbahçe targeting a victory

Fenerbahçe coach Ersun Yanal is determined his side will have a defendable lead after Wednesday's meeting with Arsenal at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in the first leg.

"Arsenal are a high power team, so we will want to go there with an advantage," Yanal said at a press conference.

"As a team we are strong enough to finish the challenge which is in front of us.

"We are competing to be in the first lane (of the group stage)."

Like Arsenal, Fenerbahçe - who came past Salzburg in the last European qualifying round - lost their opening domestic fixture, going down 3-2 at Konyaspor.

Yanal is expecting a response. He said: "My players need to be ready to play a more dynamic, play more up-tempo."

The Fenerbahçe coach, though, will not take the threat of the Gunners lightly. He added: "The Arsenal team has a style, with very talented young players from around the world football market."

Team news:

Arsenal will take the following squad to tomorrow’s Champions League qualifier with Fenerbahçe. The group that will travel to Istanbul is as follows:

Spoiler:

While Fenerbahçe's squad is as follows:

Spoiler:

Predicted lineups


Bench: Szczesny; Jenkinson, Monreal; Frimpong, Gnabry, Rosicky; Sanogo;


Bench: Günok; Korkmaz; Topuz, Potuk; Erkin, Baroni, Webo;

Nice job, Urban

We still have a good enough team (fitness-wise) to beat Fenerbache. It is always gonna be tough though, as we are playing at their home first up. The home fans will be right behind their team and Fenerbache will surely be up for it. We need to soak up that pressure though, that pressure plus the pressure that the team has been placed after the first result of the season.

A draw will be good enough to take to the Emirates. But if we can somehow finish of this tie in the first leg, it'll be all for the better.

@Urban, why do you think Flappy will start ahead of Sir Chesny?