Gunners travel to Istanbul for first leg later this month.
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Arsenal have been drawn to face Turkish giants Fenerbahce over two legs later this month following Friday’s draw for the Uefa Champions League play-off round that took place in Nyon, Switzerland.
However, some doubt is already surrounding the two ties with the Istanbul giants having recently been banned from all continental football next season by European football’s governing body following allegations of match-fixing against the club in the Turkish Super Lig last season.
As a result, Fenerbahce have since taken their case to be heard in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), meaning that both ties will now take place as scheduled on the weeks of Aug 20/21 and 27/28 while a judgement is then made.
However, CAS’ final ruling on the matter is not expected until before the draw for the group stage of Europe’s premier club competition is made by Uefa on Aug 30.
And consequently Arsenal head coach Arsene Wenger will now have to take the north London club to the intimidating atmosphere of the Sukru Saracoglu stadium later this month for the first leg of the tie, before then returning to the Emirates for the decisive second leg a week later.
Champions League play-off draw in full:
Dinamo Zagreb v FK Austria Vienna
Ludogorets v Basle
Plzen v Maribor
Shakhtyor Karaganda v Celtic
Steaua Bucuresti v Legia Warsaw
Lyon v Real Sociedad
Schalke 04 v FC Metalist Kharkiv
Pacos Ferreira v Zenit St Petersburg
PSV v AC Milan
Fenerbahce v Arsenal
*Ties to be played 20/21 and 27/28 August