Having perhaps rather fortunately edged out Eintracht Frankfurt to top spot in their Europa League group on the final match-day, Arsenal would have been hoping for a kind draw for the first knockout round of the competition.
And when Greek side Olympiacos came out, there may have been a few Gunners licking their lips at the prospect of facing them. After all, the north London side’s bitter rivals Tottenham registered a pretty emphatic 4-2 win over them in the Champions League group stages just last month.
But whilst on the face of it, it looks like a relatively straightforward tie, Arsenal have encountered some major difficulties against Olympiacos in years gone by. Indeed, their record against them makes for surprising reading. In the eight times they have met each other in recent history, both sides have picked up four victories apiece, with six of the total games being won by the home side.
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Olympiacos and their home stadium is one of those testing atmospheres in European football, and it won’t be an easy feat for the Gunners to head over there to get a positive result. Finishing top of their group means Arsenal do have the advantage of playing the second leg at the Emirates, and that could well prove to be the defining factor in terms of who actually progresses.
The north Londoners have already shown that their away form remains an Achilles heel for them, with notable defeats this season to the likes of Liverpool, Leicester and Sheffield United. Whilst the Europa League is the second-tier competition in respect to the glitz and glamour of the Champions League, the Gunners must not and cannot afford to under-estimate their opponents.
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Indeed, the fact remains Olympiacos were in the Champions League this season, and Arsenal won’t. Taking an attitude into that game of thinking the side are better and becoming complacent about it could be their downfall. It’s something they desperately need to guard against.
Meanwhile, Arsenal fans have slammed this star after his anonymous display against Manchester City last weekend.
