Arsenal open their Champions League group stage campaign with a banana skin fixture away at Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday. The Gunners have made a pretty solid start to the Premier League season, but they’ll need to be very wary of the threat posed by Zoran Mamić‘s reigning Croatian champions -- who haven’t lost a game in any competition since last November (that’s 41 matches). If not, they could find themselves under surprising pressure in a tricky group that also contains Bayern Munich and Olympiacos.
Arsenal vs. Dinamo Zagreb 2015 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch Champions League online
Dinamo Zagreb will look to maximise home advantage to pull off a giantkilling against Arsenal on Wednesday.
Arsène Wenger can, however, take comfort from the history books: Dinamo have failed in every one of their previous six attempts to get out of the group stages, and have never won against English opposition. When these sides last met in Champions League qualifying nine years ago, Arsenal came away with a resounding 5-1 aggregate victory (and that was even with Justin Hoyte playing a starring role).
Key factor: The Dinamo Zagreb counter-attack
Arsenal under Wenger are notoriously good on the ball and adorably naive off it, and a good counter-attacking side will always consider themselves in with a chance. There's no finer example of this than their defeat at home to Monaco last season, when the Ligue 1 side delivered a brutally clinical performance to set up their progression into the last eight. If Dinamo Zagreb are well organised on the break, they could cause big problems.
Key player: Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal)
However, if Zagreb are to have any luck at all, they’re going to have to keep winger Alexis Sánchez quiet. The Chilean made a massive difference to the Gunners after arriving from Barcelona last summer, with his pace and strength on the ball offering the kind of directness that Arsenal are so often criticised for lacking. He’s brilliant in one-on-ones, and Zagreb right-back Ivo Pinto will have to be on his best form.
Dinamo Zagreb injuries and suspensions
Out: None. In doubt: None.
Arsenal injuries and suspensions
Out: Jack Wilshere (ankle), Danny Welbeck, Tomáš Rosický (knee), Per Mertesacker (car accident). In doubt: None.
Dinamo Zagreb have a clean bill of health, but Arsenal -- being Arsenal -- do not. They’re without human first-aid kit Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck and Tomáš Rosický, while centre-back Per Mertesacker was shaken after being involved in a car accident and hasn’t made the trip.
Match Date/Time: Wednesday, 2:45 p.m. ET, 8:45 p.m. local
Venue: Stadio Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia
TV: Fox Sports 2 (U.S. - English), ESPN Deportes+ (U.S. - Spanish), TSN1, RDS 2 (Canada), BT Sport Europe (U.K.)
Online: Fox Sports GO, Fox Soccer 2Go, ESPN3 (U.S.), BT Sport Europe (U.K.)
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