Arsenal take on Schalke, Olympiakos and Montpellier in Champions League Group B

Aug 30, 2012 5:40:00 PM

Arsene Wenger's side face opposition in the form of the German outfit, the Greek side and the Ligue 1 champions

Jay Jaffa, Arsenal expert

Arsenal should feel fairly pleased with their group draw. There are two short trips to Montpellier and Schalke and a slightly longer jaunt to Greece, but Arsene Wenger has avoided any winter trips to eastern Europe much like last season, where they topped their group. Interestingly, Olivier Giroud will be heading back to Montpellier, the club he made his name for, just a few months after leaving them for north London. Though Schalke were drawn from pot 2, it may actually prove that Olympiakos are the Gunners' toughest opponents. The two sides have met in the group stages twice in their history, both sharing a couple of wins and a couple of defeats. It has been a decade since Arsenal last faced their German counterparts, while the north Londoners have never faced Montpellier in a competitive match.

ARSENAL

SEASON 2011-12
League: Third
Europe: Champions League round of 16

Manager: Arsene Wenger

Appointed: 1996

Stadium: Emirates Stadium

Capacity: 60,361

Best Champions League performance: Runners-up (2006)

THE DANGER MAN
Santi Cazorla

The Spaniard arrived for a relatively low fee from Malaga this summer and already looks the part alongside Mikel Arteta in the midfield. At 27, Cazorla is approaching his peak and Arsene Wenger will be counting on him to provide goals and assists in his maiden campaign as the north Londoners again look to claim club football's ultimate prize.

SCHALKE

SEASON 2011-12
League: Third
Europe: Europa League quarter-finals

Manager: Huub Stevens

Appointed: 2011

Stadium: Veltins Arena

Capacity: 61,673

Best Champions League performance: semi-finals (2010-11)

THE DANGER MAN
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

After being a perennial misfit at Real Madrid and AC Milan following his departure from Ajax in 2009, Huntelaar has finally managed to replicate his Netherlands form at club level.

The 29-year-old was in phenomenal form throughout last season as Schalke mounted a credible assault on the Bundesliga. And the Dutchman will be more critical than ever to his side's chances of replicating their 2010-11 Champions League run, following Raul's departure from the Veltins Arena this summer.

OLYMPIAKOS

SEASON 2011-12
League: Champions
Europe: Europa League Round of 32

Manager: Leonardo Jardim

Appointed: 2012

Stadium: Karaiskakis Stadium

Capacity: 32,115

Best Champions League performance: Quarter-finals (1998-99)

THE DANGER MAN
Ioannis Fetfatzidis

A diminutive winger with a vicious left-footed shot, Fetfatzidis broke into the Olympiakos first team at the age of 18 three years ago. He has since become a full international for Greece and has already proved himself to be capable of performing on the Continent, scoring a key goal to secure a 1-0 away win against Olympique de Marseille last season.

With Kevin Mirallas leaving Athens for Everton this summer, the Drama-born starlet will be required to produce his best form for the Greeks.

MONTPELLIER

SEASON 2011-12
League: Champions
Europe: Did not feature

Manager: Rene Girard

Appointed: 2009

Stadium: Stade de la Mosson

Capacity: 32,900

Best Champions League performance: First appearance

THE DANGER MAN
Younes Belhanda

Belhanda was handed the number 10 shirt as part of Rene Girard's gloriously effective playing-style change in the 2011-12 term, and the Moroccan repaid his boss' faith with countless industrious performances and an impressive haul of goals.

Now, with the departure of last season's top goalscorer Olivier Giroud to Arsenal, Belhanda's influence will be pivotal to the French champions' performance in Europe.

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