Champions League play-offs: Arsenal face Besiktas, Lille play Porto

Arsenal will have to overcome Besiktas over two legs, if they must play in the Champions League proper this season.

The Gunners will travel to Turkey for the first leg, before hosting the return leg a week later at the Emirates.

Last season, Arsene Wenger’s team overcame another Turkish team Fenerbahce 5-0 on aggregate.


UEFA Champions League play-off round draw

Champions route

Maribor vs Celtic
Red Bull Salzburg vs Malmo
Aalborg vs APOEL
Steaua Bucharest vs Ludogorets
Slovan Bratislava vs BATE

League route

Besiktas vs Arsenal
Standard Liege vs Zenit
FC Copenhagen vs Bayer Leverkusen
Lille vs Porto
Napoli vs Athletic Bilbao



Five facts about Besiktas

This is the first time Arsenal and Besiktas will face each other in a competitive match.
Former Gunner Oguzhan Ozyakup now plays for the Turkish side.
Besiktas finished third in the Turkish Super Lig last season, 12 points behind champions Fenerbache.
The Turkish side are coached by former West Ham and Everton defender Slaven Bilic.
Besiktas have never progressed further than the Champions League group stages.