After a scoreless draw in the first leg, Arsenal and Besiktas meet again in London with a spot in the Champions League group stage on the line. The Gunners will be dealing with injuries to several key players including Olivier Giroud and Mikel Arteta. Aaron Ramsey is also out, after earning a red card in the opening match.
Arsenal vs. Besiktas, 2014 UEFA Champions League: Preview and TV schedule
The Gunners will look to advance to the group stages after a scoreless draw in the first leg.
Shaun Botterill
Key Player: Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
The Gunners big summer signing from Barcelona has played well, but hasn’t made the impact that some fans might have been hoping for. With Giroud and Walcott sidelined, Arsene Wenger will need Sanchez to step up and put his mark upon the match. The Gunners will need at least a goal to advance and Sanchez would be the man to provide it. It certainly doesn’t hurt either that the former Barca player has plenty of experience dealing with Champions League pressure.
Key Matchup: Arsenal vs. Fatigue
There’s no doubt that Arsenal have had a busy start to the season with this UCL tie and league matches. Their comeback draw against Everton likely took something out of them, and now they’ll have to rebound quickly for a tough test against Besiktas. The Turkish club played well in the first leg and came close a couple time to grabbing a goal. If the Gunners wear down, things could open up for Slaven Bilic’s side to pull off the upset.
Arsenal injuries and suspensions
Out: Olivier Giroud (ankle), Aaron Ramsey (suspended), Mikel Arteta (ankle), Kieran Gibbs (hamstring), Theo Walcott (knee).
Besiktas injuries and suspensions
Out: Necip Uysal (ankle)
Arsenal have several injury problems to deal with heading into the second leg. Striker Olivier Giroud is out with a suspected broken ankle, while captain Mikel Arteta is always is sidelined with ankle problems. Kieran Gibbs, Theo Walcott are injured as well, while Aaron Ramsey is suspended after picking up a red card in the first leg.
Besitaks will be missing midfielder Necup Uysal.
Match Date/Time: Wednesday, 7:45 p.m. local, 2:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London, England
TV: FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes (U.S.), Sky Sports 5/HD (U.K.), Sportsnet Regional (Canada)
Online: FOX Soccer 2Go, FOX Sports Go (U.S.), Sky Go (U.K.)
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