Preview: Partizan Belgrade v. Arsenal, Champions League Group Matchday 2

Stadion FK Partizan, Belgrade

Tuesday, September 28

19:45 BST, 2:45 p.m. EDT

• Referee: Wolfgang Stark (Germany)
• First competitive match between these two sides
• Arsenal's League Form: D-W-W-W-D-L
• Partizan's League Form: W-W-W-W-W-D

Predicted Line-Up

guesses in red

Fabianski
Sagna - Koscielny - Squillaci - Clichy
Song - Wilshere
Rosicky - Nasri - Arshavin
Chamakh

Subs from: Szczesny, Djourou, Gibbs, Eboue, Denilson, Lansbury, Vela

Out: Diaby (match fitness), Almunia (elbow), Fabregas (hamstring), Vermaelen (Achilles), Walcott (ankle), Van Persie (ankle), Bendtner (groin), Ramsey (broken leg), Frimpong (knee)

Arsenal News and Notes

• If you somehow have not heard yet, the biggest team news ahead of this match is the elbow injury sustained by Manuel Almunia on Saturday. No word on how long he'll be out / how long we're apparently going to have to deal with Lukasz Fabianski between the sticks.
• Kieran Gibbs returns to the squad after picking up a foot injury in last week's Carling Cup win; I'd love to see him get a start over Clichy some time soon.
• Abou Diaby has been left out of the 18-man squad without a reason listed. I've gone with "match fitness;" he is coming off that ankle injury, but he did play abysmally on Saturday.
• Arsenal's other injuries you should know well by now. There's "a little hope" Fabregas will be ready for Chelsea at the Bridge on Sunday, which is a phrase that does little to give me any hope.

Partizan News and Notes

• Partizan survived two qualifying rounds to reach the group stage, including a penalty shootout against Belgian side Anderlecht.
• Partizan lost on Matchday 1 at Shakhtar Donetsk, 1-0.
• They're led offensively by Brazilian striker Cleo. Former (and brief) Arsenal target Stefan Savic plays on their back line.

Match Facts

• Partizan's last match against an English side came at St. James' Park, as the Serbian side knocked Newcastle United out in the third qualifying round in 2003/04 on penalties.
• Arsenal have never beaten a Serbian side in European competition; however, this is only their third ever competitive match against a Serbian side. In the 1978/79 UEFA Cup third round, Arsenal lost 1-0 at FK Crvena Zvezda. They drew 1-1 at Highbury and were knocked out.
• Arsenal have not won an away fixture in Europe in over a year, dating back to a 3-2 win at Standard Liege. Excluding qualifying rounds, Arsenal have won two of their last 10 trips away from home in the Champions League.

The Referee

• The referee is Wolfgang Stark from Germany.
• The last time Stark worked an Arsenal match, Lionel Messi scored eight billion goals as the Gunners crashed out of Europe. Or something like that.
• He also worked Arsenal's 3-0 win over Villarreal in the second leg of the 2009 quarterfinal.
• Stark worked three matches at this summer's World Cup.

England in the Champions League This Week

• Tuesday: Chelsea v. Marseille; Stamford Bridge, London
• Wednesday: Tottenham Hotspur v. Twente Enschede; White Hart Lane, London
• Wednesday: Valencia v. Manchester United; Estadio Mestalla, Valencia