The Champions League draw took place this evening, and Arsenal were drawn in Group A with French champions PSG, FC Basel, and Ludogorets.
Here’s how we’ve fared against these opponents in the past.
PSG
The teams have only ever met once, over two legs in the European Cup Winners Cup in 1994.
| 29 Mar 1994 | Paris St Germain v Arsenal | D | 1-1 | UEFA European Cup Winners Cup |
| 12 Apr 1994 | Arsenal v Paris St Germain | W | 1-0 | UEFA European Cup Winners Cup |
In the first leg in Paris, Ian Wright put the Gunners ahead before David Ginola equalised in the second half. A Kevin Campbell goal at Highbury was enough for a famous 1-0 win and to send George Graham’s side through the final in Copenhagen, where Alan Smith’s 22nd minute goal was enough to see off a star-studded Parma side and lift the trophy.
FC BASEL
This will be a first meeting between the two sides, but it will be a return home for two current Arsenal players.
Mohamed Elneny signed for the Gunners from the Swiss side in January, while the club’s major signing this summer, Granit Xhaka, began his professional career there in 2010. The midfielder signed for Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2012.
Xhaka’s brother, Taulent, currently plays for FC Basel to add some extra spice.
LUDOGORETS
Another cherry being popped here, Arsenal have never played the Bulgarian side previously. We can’t even find any vague connection between the two clubs or in their squad.
It does make for a pleasingly refreshing draw though, good to avoid the same old faces and places, and overall it’s is pretty kind. This definitely looks like a group that we can win.
Yeah, we know, we know, but still.
New group stage opponents! We’ll win the CL this year!
Well, if we play as well as we can, we could top this group, and hopefully get an easier round of 16. PSG aren’t as mighty as people seem to think they are. Way better than drawing Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus or Bayern!
Phewww, no barca and münchen!
Yes we can. But still…. *coughs*
It’s time to figure out which Xhaka brother is more Taulented.
My money is on Granit being the harder brother…
We can’t be sure.. If our boy can Xhake off his nerves, he can be a world beater on his day..
PSG should top the group, Arsenal second. But I remember the giddy Hleb-esque summer of 2007, when we beat PSG 2-1 on our way to being crowned inaugural Emirates Cup Champions. Lord Bendtner strode our halls in those days.
Ubi sunt. Ubi sunt.
My favorite team ever, visiting a stadium, located 200m. from my place, playing against the team coming from my hometown Razgrad – I am grateful!
Fucking excellent. I hope you get to go.
Ha you lucky thing! Matchups like this are great for newer UCL teams.
Comment:We should be looking at the semis at least this year.
You know you can just write your comment without saying it’s your comment. End of comment : )
Good to know
Stop looking at my semi
Yes,…l believe Arsenal will definitely go far with this UCL Draw
Who did United, Chelsea, and Liverpool draw? Oh right, it’s nearly like spending hundreds of millions of pounds doesn’t guarantee success.
Oh how many league titles have United and Chelsea won since we last won?
Oh it’s almost like spending money on having a squad to compete brings success.
Tasty draw, but we are Arsenal
I’m sure Man U will draw the likes of RED BULL SALZBURG, PINK BULL VIENNA OR BETTER STILL ATHLETIC DE MALTA.
Absolute scenes when our defense makes a star of Ludogorets striker..Thingy Whatshisface.
If we lose to ludogrets , how many ludogrets/ludicrous puns will there be??!!
Ludogrets, we’ve played a few,
But then again,
Too few to mention…
We did, what we had to do,
We saw it through,
To last 16 qualification…
Ludogorets and Fc Basel ain’t bad teams at atacking and our progress will depend on the UCL experience
So, this is quite the challenge . . .
. . . I mean, we will really, really have to do something speacial to have to put ourselves in a position to need a win to finish 2nd in the last group game.
😀
and who says Arsenal is not capable of doing something special..
So, this is quite the challenge . . .
. . . I mean, we will really, really have to do something special to have to put ourselves in a position to need a win to finish 2nd in the last group game.
😀
I think, just for a change, that we’ll absolutely steamroll the first four games and have first place in the group clinched by the start of November.
Yes, then play the kids in the last 2 games, lose top spot and get Barca or BM in the last 16.
Cue hand-wringing, gnashing and wails of lamentation.