After the usual interminable nonsense at UEFA HQ, Arsenal have been drawn against Fenerbahce for their Champions League qualification double-header.
The games will be played on 20/21 and 27/28 August with the Gunners at home in the second leg.
Fenerbahce finished second behind Galatasary in last year’s Turkish Super Lig and have already overcome Austrian side Salzburg to reach this stage of the UCL qualification process. Their squad has an international flavour with familiar names such as Joseph Yobo, Dirk Kuyt, Bruno Alves and Raul Meireles regular starters.
It’s also worth noting that Fenerbahce are embroiled in controversy right now with UEFA recently meting out a 24-month European football ban for their part in the Turkish match-fixing and corruption scandal.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport has since suspended the ban allowing them to take part in the UCL preliminary rounds but they could yet be barred from the competition. We’re not quite sure what that would mean for us if they won at our expense…it’s one for Dick Law. Perhaps better not to think about it.
Arsenal’s record at this formative stage of the competition is unblemished with the likes of Dynamo Zagreb, Celtic and Udinese seen off in recent years. After the swashbuckling run at the end of last season it’s now time to finish the job.
Magical hands on standby for news…
… How fast?!
Will it be Turkish Delight and what happens if they are banned from CL?
The decision of their ban will not affect the playoffs. So, we will play them regardless.
However, if we lose and then they are banned, we will qualify. Unlikely that either of these things will happen, but yeah, hopefully it doesn’t come to that.
In fact they have already been banned for two years. The UEFA will just have to reconfirm its judgment.
I just wonder: What would happen with Salzburg, if Fenerbahce gets banned?
I have no doubt that this is precisely what is going to happen. Only Arsenal could ensure such folly.
Thats not correct, if Fenerbache are kicked another team from their country will replace them, thats UEFA rules on the matter.
According to UEFA no decision has been made yet if Fenerbahce win and their appeal is lost.
I know that. But still: What would happen with Salzburg? If Fenerbahce gets banned, Salzburg would have been knocked out by a team that shouldn’t have been allowed to participate in the first place. This seems to be kind of unfair.
@AkaSuzaku
The CAS has said that they can play the qualifiers. This means that they consider Fenerbache innocent enough to allow them in the qualifiers. It would have been unfair to Fenerbache if they had been banned and then proven their innocence.
So, it is not unfair to Salzburg at the moment.
Typical Arsenal: dithering even in the Champions League draw, coming out last!
What impresses me more than the speed of the blog is the speed of the answers. Seriously, you people have nothing better to do during summer than sit at your computers?
it’s a ritual. as long as you know something Arsenal will happen, you also know Arseblog will post a post about it within the next two minutes, so you gather and pay tribute to both.
unless it’s Suarez-related.
No, nothing better to do at all. I just sit here in bed, with the computer on my lap, tell the wife to shut up and go to sleep, and then I come on here and get on with my real life, which is being an unpaid and very poor keyboard comedian and full-time Arseblog lurker. What else is a guy supposed to do in bed every night? You folks back in the UK don’t know how lucky you are. You get to sit around in the warm summer while you wait to see if Arsenal will buy a grown… Read more »
I need to be in front of this computer in my cramp cubicle to be gainfully employed.
How the hell did you get this posted within 45 seconds of the draw? What black magic is this?
They must have prepared an article for every possible draw just to keep us up to date at lightning speed!
<3 Arseblog
Hounds have always been fast. New hounds, doubly so.
They used to write [insert: bahl blah blah], that must be the case
Blogs got direct feed as we, immortals, have a 2 minute delay if you didn’t know 🙂
If only AW and the board would take a leaf from you Arseblog on how fast things can be done… like signing new players for instance?
“What black magic is this?”
racism magic? now Nick, you are banned for 10 posts. john terry 4 games.
Arseblog stays silent on all rumours here. No doubt, Arsenal has been keeping fans in the dark on everything.
Typical Arsenal
I just watched the draw a minute ago… That’s quick blog, well done.
Possibly the second toughest draw for us after Real Sociadad
Potentially the joint worst I think, the away leg is going to be very hard, turkish fans are crazy, by far one of the noisiest to play at. I just hope this team is up for it and don’t underestimate them.
I think this is a kinder draw than some people are saying. Turkish football had (deserved) reputation for its ability to intimidate opponents in the 90s, but that’s surely waned now. This should be fine for us – Sanogo will have a field day.
Any team with Kuyt and Yobo in it should really be beatable.
Yup that was my thought too. Not been too lucky at all on this one. Ohh well, I suppose given our well known habit of completely underestimating ‘lesser’ teams and expecting to win by just strolling around, we’re capable enough of fucking it up whatever the oppostion lol – their fans will wake our lot up and make them realize they’re in a game and not just indulging in a spot of sleep-walking if nothing else hopefully!
PSV was the toughest I reckon
They would have been last year, but they sold there 3 best players: Strootman, Mertens and Lens. I would say in terms of just the team Sociedad were the toughest, but with the travelling and hostile atmosphere Fenerbahce is about equal.
I guess we did escape having to go Russia, that would have been difficult, Pacos I think would have been the only easy one, although i’m only basing that on them being a 2 star team on fif and never heard of them.
I watched the games vs Salzburg, and while they have some really skillful strikers (Sow scored an amazing goal in the second leg) they seemed to have no midfield and were really open at the back. Salzburg created nearly 20 chances in both games but was incredibly wasteful. As I guess Arsenal is a bit more efficient we should be able to score a couple of away goals, which basically guarantees qualification
I actually think its the worst possible draw we could have got. Their possible ban will give them a siege mentality and they have a lot of useful experienced players
fml exactly what we did not need. a long ass trip to turkey
yes, a trip to neighbouring eastern Ukraine would’ve been ideal..
A 3 hour flight is a “long ass trip”? For a team that toured half of Asia just a couple of weeks ago it’s probably a trip to the convenience store 🙂
Does anyone have any information about this team? Like are they decent?
Their squad contains some familiar names I guess:
Kuyt, Moussa Sow, Semih Şentürk, Raul Meireles, Mehmet Topal, Miroslav Stoch, Gökhan Gönül, Joseph Yobo, Volkan Demirel.
A decent team, but our squad is miles better in terms of quality so no excuses to cock this one up.
I watched their semi final game vs Benfica in Lisbon last season in the Europa League and they looked like a really decent side. If we turn up with another uncreative performance we could be into some deep sh… Meh no need to worry our new signings will surely help us go thro.. Oh.
I reckon we’ll be fine. Last season we were thrashed by Bayern at home, and we all know what happened in the 2nd leg. And Bayern had absolutely blitzed everyone last year. We have the steel and resolve to get through, besides the quality as well.
”WengersNoseHair: I reckon we’ll be fine. Last season we were thrashed by Bayern at home, and we all know what happened in the 2nd leg. And Bayern had absolutely blitzed everyone last year.” as much as it was our ”steel and resolve” that won the tie, everyone seem to forget that Bayern ”underestimated” offering us the opportunity. we are good but not that good, – as much as we had a ‘championship winning run’ in the second half of last season i feel the fact we were out of all other competitions played a large part in our favor. i… Read more »
*”underestimated us”
*every single
typo galore!!!
Well, firstly, Bayern are a much better team than Fenerbache, and secondly, they’re Bayern Munich, they always play the same, whether they’re behind or ahead. Yes, they were a bit relaxed, but not as much as most teams would be in the same situation. “Our tendency to self implode” in the transfer market has nothing to do with how we play on the field, that’s two totally different areas. Well, if you don’t like that example, how about how we finished off the season? When it looked like we would finish 5th, we changed our style of play and ground… Read more »
I don’t know if it was really underestimating us more so than that Ribery was out injured and Robben had to play a full game and we all know how delicate he is… Not to mention the defensive organization on our part was much much better with Bosscielny and Fabianski stepping up some serious game. Either way, a little leeway from them, a little credit to us – it’s not easy facing the Euro champions on their undefeated home soil. The pressure from Fenerbahce is likely to be high but I can’t see how it would exceed the Bayern leg… Read more »
Not to mention its our duty to mount the pressure on the Fenerbahce side as well. COYG
Yeah, what’s to worry about in facing a team that was a semi-finalist in the Europa League three months ago? They may be in danger of being thrown out of the competition, but that means that not only do they have the usual desire to win the tie, but they also will want to emphatically prove they were good enough to do well in it just in case they are banned. Their fans could be even more “up” for this one than their normal psychotic midnight-phone-and-firework-partying selves.
Both of these games could be bloody hard work.
Well at least it’s not Metalist
Easy win for Arsenal. No problem.
I suppose I respect the optimism but how can any Arsenal fan have this attitude? When was the last time we did anything easily?
Love a bit of sarcasm. That *was* sarcasm, right?
Not easy but I think we’ll be through!!
its a tricky one.. going to turkey at very early stage of the season.
Fooootballs!
Should be a minor with Suarez providing much needed bite up front
Who did our “rivals for CL” Liverpool get?
John Henry?
The closest to CL football Liverpool Museum will get is selling Suarez to us.
“Facht”
Well, it didn’t take long for someone to bring up Suarez in a completely unrelated article!
Does anyone else remember all that relief mingled with hope and optimism after the Newcastle game as we looked to the summer?
Yep, but I think we all knew that what happened was always a possibility. We just hoped it would be different this time.
Anyway I hear an official club book is coming out, titled : “Fuck up the summer royaly – The Arsenal way”. On sale at just £4.01…
That’s provided they can find a top top quality publisher…
At least Ivan will come out and tell us how the cover can have gold trimmings, and more if we wanted it to.
I refuse to buy a book where even the title has a spelling error.
Have you seen the new Spurs book, “Selling chimpanzees for fun and profit”
Lol, Uefa set them up!
Strong team , gonna be hard.
soz
I’m pretty happy with that actually. Sociedad was the one team Arsenal could have got where the tie could’ve genuinely gone either way. This isn’t a dream draw but with the second leg at home, it’s definitely a lot kinder than Udinese two seasons ago.
Yeah, but no English team wants to go to Istanbul. They’re fucking mental out there.
:S Hopefully the lads will be able to nick a couple of away goals in the first leg and put the shits up them.
COME ON YOU BEAUTIFUL GUNNERS! FOOTIE IS BACK!
A tough draw. It’s never easy going to Turkey. At least we have the second leg at home. Shame we didn’t sign a quality striker on time.
We have until Monday. We probably won’t sign anyone but we still have the time available.
If we sign someone late, can they start playing immediately in the CL? I’m just curious.
If we qualify, sure. Not in these qualification stages, unless we get them registered by Monday, I think?
This is a tough team.. A lil more confident than Arsenal at the moment. Let’s hope for at least one more signing to boost our morale!
We need some good news for Arsenal for both the team & our blood pressure….
Not really concerned about the tie. If we can’t beat Fenerbache then we don’t deserve to go through.
We’re in this mess because we finished fourth, so no excuses really.
What I’m more concerned about is the developing pattern of mediocrity in the transfer window. A shambolic summer that I can’t see changing from now to the 2nd.
I don’t think we do deserve to beat them. After losing to Bradford and Blackburn in cup ties last season we should really be concentrating on putting a squad together that looks like a Champions League outfit.
What’s the point in taking the Champions League money if we’re not prepared to spend it on the squad and actually compete.
Shower of shit our owners, they really are.
Go gunners, just like others this too shall pass
Shit.
They’re a good side, capable of causing us serious problems. The only advantage is that we’re at home three days before we have to take on the sp*ds.
Still, no excuses. We’ve made the bed, we now need to fuck the ugly girl. Or something.
Thank fuck that THIS Turkish side doesn’t have that diving cheat Drogba in their squad!
I expect they’re licking their lips following our defeat by Galatasaray… I’m sure we’ll give them a good hiding though.
COYG.
Tough one. But could’ve been worse.
Could’ve been Metalist Kharkiv.
Would have preferred some Portuguese Tacos
Thank Bergkamp, we’re not going to the former Soviet Union/Turkey with the derby around the corner. Though draw, should be considered done. COYG!
Ok Wenger Boys, just keep focused on the task at hand, you’re more than capable to see this through.
Double profit sell TGSTEL to fenerbahce
We should spend the Suarez money on Fenebahce’s best CB, CM and striker.
If we can’t beat them we don’t deserve to be in the champions league.
All our new signings have put us in a strong position so I have every confidence, oh wait…..
Trouble. But even worse Gervinho is gone and that is fine, but hold on his replacement is someone called Ciprian Marica, deemed to shit to play for Schalke (no direspect) but this ain`t good enough. We are now replacing dead wood with DEAD WOOD. Tomorrow Chamack is leaving and we sign Jason Euell. Christ we are getting fucked, left right and centre.
too not to
Oh brilliant, another gramma teacher. Sorry, since English is my fourth language I am bound to make mistakes. And by the way you should have wrtiten “too, not to”. Fucking retard.
I agree, Marica will be another Park Chu-Young.
WTF Arsene, how is Marica top, top quality.
Hmm, I wonder if we are dumped out of the qualifiers by Fernabache and still win the FA cup will the season be characterized as a success?
What would you rather?
Knock out by Fenerbache & win FA cup or get to last 16 & win nothing?
obviously the second ..fuck the fa cup….
Fenerbahche or not if we have the spirit we’ll beat any team that comes our way
This seems to be the toughest of the lot for the Arsenal. Can we spend some fucking money now Arsene, please. Don’t give John W Henry and BR the chance to turn our dear club into a laughing stock at the end of the second leg at the Emirate!!!
Have we officially signed Marica? No! Stop believing everything you read, and especially stop reading ANYTHING in the daily mail.
What would happen if Fenerbache beat us and then were ruled out of the tourney? Would that mean that we went through?
Knowing our luck they’ll squeeze a two legged tie in against Salzburg to be played on the 15th and 16th of September (as there is an interlull between the Spurs and Sunderland games). We’d have 4 games in 4 days.
Before anybody thumbs me down for stupidity or scoffs at such a daft idea please remember that it’s UEFA we’re dealing with here.
not too bad a draw..
time to get off wengers back and support him and the team
but im all for an ‘ivan g out’ campaign
we praised david dean for his transfer work but we dont give ivan enough shit for his lack of work
i wonder would this campaign force ivan to buy and buy big
Ivan is not responsible for the lack of transfers. Wenger is.
man you are so clueless i wonder how you manage to turn your pc on
do you blame wenger too when arteta misses penalties ? 🙂 haha you jerk…
Fenerbahce is never easy. Remember udinese? That was tough too, especially on their turf. Turkish fans will add more pressure so we shall see if the guys are up to it. COYG!
So we continue our Asia Tour on 20/8!!
What are those guys smokin over at uefa. Tricky draw
wenger should amicably resign before start
of the season. he is by far the poorest
tactician in epl who sees 4th place as a
trophy. someone show me any world-class
player we’ve got.nothing absolutely
nothing. as much as cazorla is good he is
not world a Spanish misfit who Arsenal
have decided to overrate to appease the
fans. a lot of bollocks going on at
emirates. and yes Henry wenger is smoking
some hard stuff and whatever it is he
passes it on to players
1) “who sees 4th place as a trophy” this is now a very tired and overused quote that Arsene used once and that has always been taken out of context. 2) ” he is by far the poorest tactician in epl” Any team from 5th down would, I’m pretty sure, swap with us in a heartbeat. If he was that bad, we’d have been relegated long ago. Also, we may not win it but I’d rather be in the champions league than be the ones looking through the window. Anyone who thinks the opposite clearly doesn’t realise the ramifications of… Read more »
Have a banana Bale boy. OMNOMNOMMM
Calling anyone “by far the poorest tactician” in a competition that includes Steve Bruce is against the laws of physics or something
Blogs, why is my original comment still awaiting moderation? I gave my opinion on his points in a constructive way (something that is always picked upon when the comment policy is talked about by you). I didn’t insult them, swear at them, call them names, blow raspberries at them, there wasn’t any text speak, etc….
“We’re not quite sure what that would mean for us if they won at our expense…it’s one for Dick Law. Perhaps better not to think about it.” We’d probably sell them our name and then take their ban for them…..
By no means easy but if we cant beat them over 2 legs, we should not be in this competition.
Game on, COYG!
Oh balls, why did we not get the Portuguese side? Platini is being a prick again!
Fenerbahce has been banned from UEFA competitions for 24 months.
The Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) has suspended that UEFA ban pending Fenerbache’s appeal.
The CAS appeal decision will be resolved before 28th August. Meanwhile we play them in the play-off round.
However UEFA, dicks that they are, said today that they have taken no decision what would happen if Fenerbache won the tie against us but lost the appeal.
Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildrim said that his lawyers will fight to the end. Which is nice.
So, let’s beat the match-fixing scummy little cheaters just to make sure, eh?
Ayo Makanjo! Ayo makanjo!!! never mind that is how we exclaim here in western Kenya. We gonna win this, no doubt.
mimi pia natokako huko. sambazia me kakuku na kaukali
Well, quite. Couldn’t agree more.
Well done Wenger, we’re going into this in ship shape.
The volcano that is Arsenal football club is under so much pressure right now, if we lose this I actually think there’s no way back for Wenger. Why are we dicing with death like this? I just can’t fucking understand it.