Arsene Wenger reckons his Arsenal side's "exceptional" away record means they can compete with anyone in Europe, writes John Cross in Marseille.
But Wenger confessed he fears his injury-hit squad will not be able to cope with the strain of the next two months as they try to maintain their impressive start in the Champions League as well as at home.
The Gunners will be looking for a TENTH consecutive away win when his men face Marseille here in France on Wednesday, after an incredible run which dates back to their victory at Bayern Munich in March.
The Gunners drew the short straw when the group stages were announced with Arsene Wenger's side drawn alongside Marseille, Napoli and Borussia Dortmund.
Marseille, who did not feature in last season's competition, will enter the match full of confidence following a positive start to their league season, with 10 points from five games leaving them in fourth position in the table.
Meanwhile, Arsenal lost on the opening weekend of the season against Aston Villa, but have since recovered with wins over Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland. They also booked their spot in the group stages of the Champions League with a 6-1 aggregate success over Fenerbahce in the playoffs.
Arsenal look to kick-start their Champions League campaign with a win against Marseille at the Stade Velodrome on Wednesday. But the road to glory will not be an easy one, as the Gunners find themselves in the formidable ‘Group of Death’.
Arsenal have been drawn alongside Marseille, Napoli and last year’s finalists Borussia Dortmund in Group F. This is a tough group with all teams looking strong in their respective leagues.
Dortmund, who just missed out on the trophy last year losing to Bayern Munich 2-1 in the final, look to be the favourites to top the group. Despite the loss of Mario Gotze to their rivals, they have managed to keep goalscorer Robert Lewandoski. With a strong squad at their disposable they are hopeful to make a return to the finals, this time coming out as winners.
The Premier League outfit have also enjoyed recent success in Marseille, with a 1-0 win in the group stages of the 2011-12 campaign. However, the French side did claim a point in a 0-0 draw in London at the beginning of November 2011.
The hosts have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the match and could name the same lineup that drew with Toulouse in the league at the weekend. However, Jordan Ayew and Saber Khlifa are both pushing for recalls.
Mathieu Valbuena will once more occupy a wide area for the French outfit, while former Premier League target Andre-Pierre Gignac is expected to lead their line.
Marseille: Mandanda; N'Koulou, Lucas, Morel, Fanni; Thauvin, Romao, Wanga, Valbuena; Gignac, Payet
Arsenal: Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Ramsey, Wilshere, Flamini; Ozil, Giroud, Walcott
