Olympiacos wary of Arsenal threat

Olympiacos FC have won both their home games in Group H so far and need only a point to guarantee qualification for the last 16 for the second time in three seasons but their toughest test is likely to come on Matchday 6 when section winners Arsenal FC come to Greece.

• The Premier League club have dropped only two points in their first five outings and secured first place in the section with a 2-0 defeat of R. Standard de Liège on Matchday 5. Olympiacos, meanwhile, who also reached the first knockout round in 2007/08, held out for a goalless draw at AZ Alkmaar in their most recent fixture and therefore a draw will secure second place, while the Greek champions would also progress should Standard be unable to overcome AZ.

Previous meetings
• The 29 September fixture between the teams was the first time they had met in a competitive fixture. Although they dominated, Arsenal left it late for the second UEFA Champions League game in succession, goals in the last 12 minutes from Robin van Persie and Andrei Arshavin finally beating goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis.

• Arsenal have lost just two of eleven fixtures against Greek opponents, winning six. The two reverses came away from home, at Panathinaikos FC in the 2001/02 first group stage and PAOK FC in the UEFA Cup first round in 1997/98. Arsenal lost both those games 1-0.

• Olympiacos have won only two of 17 fixtures with English sides, losing 12. The last of those victories, both 1-0, came against Liverpool FC in the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League group stage, with the other coming against Arsenal's north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur FC in the 1972/73 UEFA Cup second round.

Match background
• Arsène Wenger's side are unbeaten in three away games in Europe's premier club competition, starting with their 2-0 win in Glasgow against Celtic FC in the play-offs.

• Two successive wins have improved Olympiacos' home record in the UEFA Champions League. Before this season they had managed just two victories in ten fixtures with four defeats and four draws.

Team ties
• Zico, who was named Temuri Ketsbaia's successor as Olympiacos coach on Matchday 1, has tasted some success against English opposition this year, guiding PFC CSKA Moskva to a 3-1 aggregate win against Aston Villa FC in the UEFA Cup round of 32 in February.

• The Brazilian has faced Premier League sides on six occasions as a coach, winning both home games including a 2-1 triumph against Chelsea FC in the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg while at Fenerbahçe SK. The away leg ended in a 2-0 defeat and elimination, however, and there was also a 1-0 reverse at Newcastle United FC in the 2005/06 UEFA Cup group stage before last season's 1-1 draw at Villa and the defeat at Arsenal on Matchday 2.

• As a player, Zico set up all three goals in CR Flamengo's 3-0 win against Liverpool FC in the 1981 European-South American Cup in Tokyo.

• On the opening day of 2006/07, Olof Mellberg, then with Villa, had the distinction of becoming the first player to score a competitive goal at Arsenal's new stadium. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, one of only two points Mellberg picked up in eleven Premier League meetings with the Gunners.

• Enzo Maresca was an unused substitute for Sevilla FC when they lost 3-0 at Arsenal in the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League.

• Matt Derbyshire helped Blackburn Rovers FC beat Arsenal 1-0 in an FA Cup fifth round replay in February 2007. Earlier that season he came on as a substitute in a 6-2 defeat for Blackburn at the Arsenal Stadium.

• Didier Domi was at Newcastle United FC between 1998 and 2001 and was part of the team beaten 5-0 by Arsenal at Highbury on 9 December 2000. The defender also spent 2003/04 on loan at Leeds United AFC.