Arsenal and Beşiktaş go head-to-head for the second time in eight days as both are looking to reach the Champions League group stage, with the Gunners looking to reach the groups for the seventeenth consecutive season under Arséne Wenger. Should Arsenal qualify again, they will be top seeds in the group stage draw, which takes place on Thursday. Beşiktaş, however, will be fourth seeds if they stun the Gunners, meaning that they are likely to come up against teams like Bayern Munich, Paris St Germain and Liverpool.

Team News (Arsenal)

Arsenal have won 12 of their 13 Champions League play-offs, the 0-0 draw against their opponents last week being the slip up in that 100% record. They will have to preserve that unbeaten record with a number of key players missing. Aaron Ramsey was sent off in the last match for two yellow cards, a decision which Wenger thought was 'unbelivable' given the nature of some of the other tackles flying in throughout the game. He'll miss this game, along with Mikel Arteta, who is still not fit, having come off injured in the previous tie.

Olivier Giroud and Kieran Gibbs have also been ruled out of the game, with the return date for Gibbs being the home game against Manchester City after the international break. Giroud's injury appears to be more serious, however. There were unconfirmed reports on Monday that the French striker, who scored a late equaliser in Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Everton, may actually have a broken bone in his foot. If true, he could be out of the Arsenal setup until early December.

Long-term absentees continue to include Serge Gnabry and Theo Walcott, though the latter could return to training as early as next week. Both have not played nor taken part in training since last season. Yaya Sanogo missed the tie last week and the Everton match on Saturday and may not be fit for Wednesday's game, meaning that Alexis Sánchez could once again start as a lone striker.

Team News (Beşiktaş)

Slaven Bilic's side have no injury concerns for the upcoming game, with former Gunner Oğuzhan Özyakup and ex-Chelsea and Newcastle striker Demba Ba both expecting to start, having impressed in the first leg. The XI that started the game at the makeshift home of Beşiktaş whilst their stadium is being renovated, is the same expected to start at the Emirates.

Trivia

The Gunners have never lost a home game to a Turkish side, last beating Fenerbahçe 2-0 at the same stage of the competition last season. They have also not conceded a goal at home to a Turkish side, and remain unbeaten in 90 minute matches against Turkish sides, winning four and drawing four.

Beşiktaş are unbeaten in their last three away matches in the Champions League, one of which includes a famous 1-0 win at Old Trafford in 2009. They have only played in London once, where they beat Chelsea 2-0 back in 2003, Sergen Yalçın scoring both goals.

Key Players (Arsenal)

Alexis Sanchez is undoubtedly going to be the key player to look out for as he gets his Arsenal career going. The Chilean winger, who can also play centre forward, may be left to play as a lone striker again with Olivier Giroud definitely being ruled out. Sanchez has not made the greatest of impacts so far, despite his opening day assist, and was substituted after just 45 minutes against Everton. With the return of some of Arsenal’s biggest stars, Sanchez may finally start to deliver some goals of his own.

Mesut Özil also returns to the Gunners Champions League squad following his and the Germans’ recovery from the World Cup win in Brazil. Özil was an important player for Arsenal in his opening season, scoring seven goals and creating 14 more. Having already had a season to settle at the club, Arsenal fans will be expecting big things from their club-record signing this season.

Per Mertesacker is another returning face. Having played against Everton, the big German looked slightly out of touch with the game, being outpaced at every opportunity by Romelu Lukaku. Having already gotten 90 minutes under his belt, Mertesacker could be pivotal to Arsenal’s chances of qualifying, should he start. Calum Chambers could provide heavy competition for the defender this season, having thoroughly impressed in his first few games for the Gunners. 

Key Players (Beşiktaş)

Demba Ba is the most recognisable face in the Beşiktaş squad, having previously played in the Premier League with Newcastle, West Ham and Chelsea, and was also linked with the Gunners during his time in England. Ba was the main threat in the previous game, forcing Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny into making a number of important saves, and is likely to pose a serious threat to Arsenal’s chances of qualifying. With a reputable goalscoring tally across all of the clubs he has played for in his career, and having already scored a hat-trick for Beşiktaş in the previous round, Ba could be the player to end Arsenal’s unbeaten play-off run.

Oğuzhan Özyakup is a former Gunner himself, and at just 21, still has his whole career ahead of him. Özyakup, as with Ba, also impressed in the last game, almost grabbing a goal himself. The midfielder has played 62 games for Beşiktaş since joining in 2012, scoring 9 goals and setting up 13. In the two years, he has also made his international debut for Turkey, playing seven games after choosing the nation over the Netherlands. 

Pre-Match Comments

Arséne Wenger was under no illusions that the tie in Turkey last week would be tough, and he's taken the same approach for the second leg:

"Beşiktaş played very well against us and we want to show them how well we can play at home also. It's a very important game because we want to play at the highest level internationally. Of course experience plays a huge part. We have a big experience in the Champions League, of playing high-pressure games. We can use that on Wednesday."

"What is most important is the performance on the day, to turn up with a strong display. I am confident the group is strong, mentally prepared, has a great togetherness and is ready for the fight. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to play our best."

  • Possible Line-ups and Prediction

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  • Arsenal (4-1-4-1): Szczesny; Debuchy, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Flamini, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Cazorla; Sanchez.
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  • Beşiktaş (4-5-1): Zengin; Koybasi, Franco, Gulum, Motta; Ozyakup, Uysal, Kavlak, Sahan, Pektemek; Ba.
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  • Previous form is on the side of the Gunners, having not been defeated at home by a Turkish side. It seems unlikely that, even with their key players out, that Arsenal won't qualify for the group stage for the seventeenth time in a row. Beşiktaş may come up with a goal, but Arsenal should be too strong for the Super Lig side.

Prediction: Arsenal 3-1 Beşiktaş