Zico counts on home comforts

Zico is hoping Olympiacos FC's fine home form will hold them in good stead against an under-strength Arsenal FC as they look for the point that will take them through to the UEFA Champions League first knockout round. Having already secured top spot in Group H and with his squad beset by injuries, Arsène Wenger will field a youthful team, but he emphasised that he considers his young charges good enough to match the victory Arsenal achieved over Olympiacos on Matchday 2. Indeed, Zico knows qualification is far from assured, though the Greek titleholders will advance regardless should R. Standard de Liège fail to beat AZ Alkmaar.

Zico, Olympiacos coach
The time has come for us to record our third win at home and progress to the next round. We obviously know a draw will suffice, but we should beware because in the past many sides going for two results ended up losing and getting eliminated. Arsenal may be fielding an under-strength side, but we shouldn't let that upset our focus. I would have preferred to have a full-strength opponent as an eventual win would be more prestigious. Furthermore, the younger players of Arsenal will be keen to prove their worth and that could prove tricky. Anyway, we have our fate in our hands.

Arsène Wenger, Arsenal manager
We have a young squad here in Athens and for them it's a good opportunity to show that they have the quality to sustain the pressure in such an intense environment as the Karaiskaki Stadium. I don't know if they will be affected by the atmosphere created by Olympiacos's fans, but in England we are used to playing in intense situations at away games. The best way to cool a hot atmosphere is to play very good football – and we will try to do just that. In the [first] match, Olympiacos had one or two good counterattacks but for the most part Nikopolidis kept them in the match. I would be happy if we managed to test Nikopolidis the way we did in London.

Weekend results
05/12/09 Skoda Xanthi FC 0-1 Olympiacos
(Leonardo 31)

• Olympiacos stayed clear at Greek summit thanks to Leonardo's third goal of the season.

• The Greek champions have kept 14 clean sheets in 23 competitive fixtures this term, seven coming in the league.

05/12/09 Arsenal 2-0 Stoke City FC
(Arshavin 26, Ramsey 79)

• Arsenal returned to winning ways after back-to-back league defeats and having lost three of their last four matches in all competitions. They could even afford a missed first-half penalty from Cesc Fàbregas.

• It was Wenger's 500th Premier League match in charge. The Arsenal manager has recorded 293 wins, 127 draws and 80 defeats.

Team news
Olympiacos
Out: Matt Derbyshire (groin), Andreas Vasilogiannis (cruciate ligaments), Diogo (ankle), Vassilis Torosidis (swine flu), Cristian Ledesma (knee), Ieroklis Stoltidis (chest), Michał Żewłakow (groin)
Doubtful: Jaouad Zairi (thigh)
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: Raúl Bravo, Dudu

Arsenal
Out: Tomáš Rosický, Nicklas Bendtner (both groin), Johan Djourou (knee), Robin van Persie (ankle ligaments), Gaël Clichy (back), Abou Diaby (calf), Kieran Gibbs (broken metatarsal), Eduardo (thigh)
Doubtful: William Gallas, Armand Traoré (both hamstring), Emmanuel Eboué (not specified), Andrei Arshavin (ankle)
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: Gaël Clichy, Cesc Fábregas, Robin van Persie

Background
• Arsenal have lost just two of eleven fixtures against Greek opponents, winning six. The reverses were both 1-0 defeats 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.

• 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. The other was against Arsenal's north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur FC in the 1972/73 UEFA Cup second round.

Did you know?
The 29 September fixture between the teams, which Arsenal won 2-0, was the first time they had met in a competitive fixture.

For more information on the match in the official press kit, click here.