Arsenal v Köln background
Arsenal will make their UEFA Europa League entrance in Group H, anticipating to equivocate a repeat of their final home outcome opposite Bundesliga opponents as Köln come calling.
Previous meetings
• The clubs are assembly for a initial time in UEFA competition.
• Arsenal’s record in 36 games opposite Bundesliga sides is W16 D6 L14 (W11 D1 L6 during home). They have mislaid 5 of their final 7 home matches opposite German teams.
• Köln’s record in 12 encounters with English clubs is W2 D4 L6 (D2 L3 in England)
Form guide
• Arsenal were beaten 5-1 during home by Köln’s domestic rivals Bayern in their final European home fixture, in final season’s UEFA Champions League turn of 16.
• Köln have mislaid usually one of their final 5 European divided games (W3 D1 L1) – though all of those matches were played in a 1990s.
• Arsenal are creation their UEFA Europa League organisation theatre debut; their final coming in this foe was a 2000 UEFA Cup final, that they mislaid on penalties to Galatasaray.
• Runners-up in a two-legged 1986 UEFA Cup final, Köln are behind in Europe for a initial time in 20 years; their usually prior organisation theatre campaigns were in a UEFA Intertoto Cup.
Links and trivia
• The tour from perfume to London is around 500km.
• Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny is portion a one-match cessation for this game.
• Köln’s Marco Höger (2015–16) and Christian Clemens (2013–16) played alongside Arsenal’s Sead KolaÅ¡inac during Schalke in Germany.
• Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker, Shkodran Mustafi and Mesut Özil are all German, while Granit Xhaka (Mönchengladbach 2012–16), Francis Coquelin (Freiburg 2013–14) and KolaÅ¡inac (Schalke 2012–17) have Bundesliga experience.
• Arsenal fans might remember with affinity that Köln inflicted an 8-0 better on their north London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur in a 1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup – Spurs’ misfortune outcome in European football.
The coaches
• Arsène Wenger has been Arsenal trainer given 1996, heading a Gunners to 3 English titles, 7 FA Cups and a 2006 UEFA Champions League final. An mediocre player, he done his name as a manager with Nancy and Monaco in his local France.
• Peter Stöger has guided Köln behind into Europe for a initial time in 20 years. A four-time joining champion – and 65-times capped general – as a actor in his local Austria, he changed to Köln after steering Austria Wien to a 2012/13 title.