UEFA Champions League: Arsenal vs. Partizan Belgrade Preview
Do or Die for the Gunners
Arsene Wenger and his men started their European Campaign in an impressive manner as they thumped all three teams in their group. At that time, it appeared that the Gunners would be the first team from England to book a place in the next round of UEFA Champions
League but fate had a thriller in store.
As witnessed matters have changed since; Arsene Wenger and his men lost two successive matches in Group H. Shakhtar Donetsk, who were thrashed by the Gunners at Emirates by six goals, defeated Arsenal by 2 goals later. Moreover, Sporting Braga, who are playing
Champions League for the first time and defeated Arsene Wenger’s men by 2 goals which happens to be a pretty impressive achievement.
The North Londoners are now confronted with a ‘do or die’ situation against the minnows of the group to reach knock out stage of the European Competition.
A win would be enough to see Arsenal through, as they have the best goal difference in the group. However, if the North London giants are defeated at home and Sporting Braga also loses their match against Shakhtar Donetsk, in this case Arsenal will go through
to the next round. But if Arsenal are defeated tonight and Sporting Braga manage a win over Donetsk, then Arsenal will only qualify for the Europa Cup.
However, Arsene Wenger sees things in a different light, as he hopes his team will win the game while Sporting Braga defeats Shakhtar Donestk. If this happens, Arsenal will top the table and will avoid the best performers of the other groups in next round.
Wenger said: “It was up to us in the last couple of games and we didn’t do it, so now we have to beat Partizan in the last game and pray that Braga get something against Shakhtar.”
Chances are high that Arsenal will qualify as the runners-up in Group H of UEFA Champions League, which will eventually cost them to face tougher competition. That would happen as the Gunners would have to face any one of the two Spanish Giants, Barcelona
or Real Madrid or they can be drawn against Schalke or Bayern Munich in the next round of this competition.
Arsenal Line up: Fabianski; Sagna, Koscielny, Squillaci, Gibbs; Song, Denilson; Nasri, Van Persie, Arshavin; Chamakh. Subs: Szczesny, Rosicky, Vela, Walcott, Wilshere, Eboue, Bendtner.
Partizan Playing for Pride
The Serbian giants are well and truly out of the tournament, as they have lost all fixtures in the European competition and failed to even draw a single match. Eventually, Partizan have nothing to play for but pride when they feature against Arsenal, who are
in desperate need of three points.
The Serbian Lords has lost their all matches in UEFA Champions League which would be a disgraceful run for any club, and surely at Emirates they would want to produce an upset.
The Serbian Lord have been doing very well in their domestic circuit, as they are five points clear at the top of the table. A plethora of goals have been scored as well, with Partizan hitting the back of the net no less than 19 times in their last four league
matches.
However their run in UEFA Champions League has been as dry as a desert in comparison, since they have managed to find the net only one time in their last five matches.
Partizan Line up: Stojkovic; Savic, M Jovanovic, Krstajic, Lazevski; Petrovic, Medo; Babovic, Moreira, S Ilic; Cleo. Subs: R Ilic, Stankovic, Brasanac, Davidov, Kizito, Iliev, Smiljanic.
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