Besiktas vs Arsenal - Team News, Match Preview & Likely Line-Ups
Date: Tuesday, August 19 | Venue: Ataturk Olympic Stadium | K/O: 19:45
![](https://cdn3.whatculture.com/images/2014/08/Demba-Ba-Besiktas1.jpg)
Team News
Arsenal will be without Kieran Gibbs and Yaya Sanogo for their Champions League qualifier against Besiktas. Gibbs will miss both legs of the play-off with a hamstring injury while Sanogo has not travelled to Turkey. Gibbs' omission could mean a possible recall for Per Mertesacker, who has been rested after helping Germany win the World Cup final, while manager Arsene Wenger also has the option of playing Laurent Koscielny, who returns from an Achilles problem. Former Chelsea striker Demba Ba could start for Besiktas after moving to the Turkish side earlier this summer. Ba scored a hat-trick in the second leg of the third-round qualifying phase to knock out Feyenoord 5-2 on aggregate. The Black Eagles could be without Atiba Hutchinson however, with the midfielder still suffering with a hamstring problem and rated only 50-50. (bbc)Key Stats
Besiktas have won every single one of their last 12 home games in the qualifying phases of UEFA competitions - a record which began after a 1-1 draw with Hapoel Haifa in Champions League qualifying in 1999. Their aggregate score in those games has been 27-3. Arsenal have won all 12 of their previous UEFA Champions League play-off matches, knocking out GNK Dinamo Zagreb (2006/07), AC Sparta Praha (2007/08), FC Twente (2008/09), Celtic FC (2009/10), Udinese Calcio (2011/12) and Fenerbahçe SK (2013/14). Arsenal have never lost in 90 minutes against a Turkish side, conceding just twice in seven meetings: W4 D3 L0 (W2 D1 L0 at home, W2 D1 L0 in Istanbul). They did, however, lose the final of the 2000 UEFA Cup 4-1 on penalties against Galatasaray after a 0-0 draw after extra time. Demba Ba, who scored a hat-trick for Besiktas in his first start for the club in the third qualifying round, struck twice against Arsenal on 29 December 2012 in his last match for Newcastle United. The Magpies lost that match 7-3. (Eurosport)Likely Line-Ups
Besiktas Zengen; Kurtulus, Sahan, Pektemek, Hutchinson; Ozyakup, Uysal, Frei, Gulu, Ramon; BaArsenal Szczesny; Monreal, Mertesacker, Koscielny; Debuchy, Arteta, Sanchez, Ramsey, Rosicky, Campbell; GiroudMatch Preview
![](https://cdn3.whatculture.com/images/2014/02/arsene-wenger-arsenal.png)