UEFA Champions League: Marseille vs Arsenal

Arsene Wenger will be hoping his side can continue their good run of form

Arsene Wenger’s side takes on Marseille for the third successive season in the UEFA Champions League group stages when they face the French club later tonight. The Gunners have remained unbeaten in their nine visits to France (W6 & D3).

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mikel Arteta, Abou Diaby, Santi Cazorla, Lukas Podolski, Tomas Rosicky have been the long term absentees. Although Wenger will be pleased after Olivier Giroud along with Mesut Ozil has been passed fit for the Champions league clash. Per Mertesacker is also available following sickness at the weekend & Thomas Vermaelen who made his first appearance of the season following back problem will be one of the substitutes.

For Marseille, André Ayew is available having missed the Ligue 1 game on Saturday through suspension, while defender Souleymane Diawara returned to training on Tuesday after a thigh injury sustained in Marseille’s 2-1 loss to AS Monaco FC on 1 September.

Arsenal had the better of the two games in the UEFA Champions League in 2011/12, winning 1-0 away through Aaron Ramsey’s late winner before playing out a goalless draw at the Emirates.

Managers speak

Marseille’s Élie Baup: “We know we’re not favourites but this is football and we will try to be the team that defies the odds. We are approaching this game with a lot of desire and hunger. Individually Arsenal have a better team but our ambition is to try and perform well.”

Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger: “People say that Dortmund and Napoli are our first opponents but I think that Marseille will have their chance. A couple of years ago there was a similar group but it was Marseille and Arsenal who qualified. Nothing is played yet and they have an opportunity to qualify.”

Predicted Line-ups:

• Marseille: 4-2-3-1

Mandanda - Fanni, Lucas Mendes, N’Kolou, Morel - Romao, G. Imbula – Payet, Valbuena, A. Ayew – Gignac.

• Arsenal: 4-2-3-1

Szczesny – Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs – Flamini, Ramsey – Wilshere, Ozil, Walcott – Giroud.

Team Facts:

• Mathieu Flamini began his career at Marseille, making his senior debut in December 2003. At the end of that season, he joined Arsenal for the first time.
• Sagna, Koscielny and Giroud are national team-mates of Steve Mandanda, André-Pierre Gignac, Mathieu Valbuena, Dimitri Payet and Rod Fanni.
• Sanogo, Mario Lemina and Florian Thauvin were all part of France’s triumphant FIFA Under-20 World Cup squad in Turkey this summer.
• Bacary Sagna and Benoît Cheyrou were team-mates at Auxerre.
• Alaixys Romao and Jérémy Morel played with Laurent Koscielny at Lorient.
• Souleymane Diawara spent 2006/07 in England with Charlton Athletic.

Match Background:

• This is Arsenal’s 16th successive UEFA Champions League campaign, longevity bettered only by Manchester United FC (18) and Real Madrid CF (17).
• Arsenal have won five in a row in all competitions since starting their season with a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Aston Villa on 17 August.
• Olivier Giroud has scored in 5 of Arsenal’s 6 fixtures this term, as many as he mustered in his first 16 outings in 2012/13.
• Aaron Ramsey has scored 6 goals for club and country this term, already double of what he managed in the whole of 2012/13.
• Arsenal have won their last 9 away games in all competitions, a run that started with the 2-0 victory at Bayern Munich in last season’s round of 16. 7 have come in the league, just one shy of their best set in 2001/02.
• Andre-Pierre Gignac scored in Marseille’s first 3 games this season, his best start to a campaign.
• Marseille have lost their last three home fixtures on Matchday one.
• The win at Montpellier last season extended Arsenal’s unbeaten run on Matchday one to 9 games (W7 & D2). Their last opening-day defeat came on 17 September 2003 when Inter Milan won 3-0 at Highbury.

Match Officials:

• Referee: Olegário Benquerença (POR)
• Assistant referee: Ricardo Santos (POR), Rui Tavares (POR)
• Additional assistant referee: Artur Soares (POR), Carlos Xistra (POR)
• Fourth official: João Santos (POR)
• UEFA delegate: Christian Schmölzer (AUT)
• UEFA referee observer: Uno Tutk (EST)