Champions League Group H preview: Arsenal gun for glory

Arsenal need nothing less than victory against Champions League rivals Sporting Braga on Tuesday if they are to stay top of Group H.

Arsene Wenger’s side lead Shakhtar Donetsk on goal difference, but the Ukrainian champions face Group H whipping boys Partizan and will almost certainly take the three points.

A draw or loss at the Portuguese runners-up could see Arsenal back to second in Group H, though a draw would still assure them of a place in the round of 16.

Not that Wenger will be content with sharing the points at Braga, especially after seeing his side downed 2-1 at Shakhtar last time out.

That loss ruined Arsenal’s perfect run in the Champions League, and the Gunners have their worries at league level too.

Arsenal failed to defend a 2-0 lead and went down 3-2 at home to London rivals Tottenham last time out, fumbling a golden opportunity to take top spot on the Premier League table.

The Gunners will be keen to take out their frustrations on Braga, who were earlier pumped 6-0 by Arsenal in their leg at the Emirates.

Arsenal talisman Cesc Fabregas has cautioned against complacency when the two sides meet at the Estadio AXA.

“We have two games left in the group, both difficult, especially the one away to Braga – but we will try to win the group,” he said.

“We will do our best and if we play the football we know, focus 100 percent and don’t treat the opponents softly, then I am sure we can win the group.”

“In football, you can never be complacent, you can never switch off, otherwise you will pay for it, whoever you play against.”

Arsenal have scored a tournament-leading 15 goals in the group stages, with Fabregas nabbing three and setting up a number of others.

But Maroune Chamakh shapes as the danger man.

The Morocco international has scored eight times in his last nine Champions League starts, and got on the scoresheet when Arsenal last met Braga.

Braga, meanwhile, rebounded from early losses to Arsenal and Shakhtar to trounce Partizan in both legs for a valuable six points.

Now, the Portuguese club needs to defeat Arsenal to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive.

But Braga has managed just three goals from their last four fixtures, and forwards Paulo Cesar, Lima and Mattheus will need to step up their game significantly.

That said, the Portuguese runners-up do have the ability to shock big clubs – as shown by their humbling of Rangers and Sevilla in the Champions League qualifiers.

With their tournament on the line, expect Braga to put on quite a show against the Gunners.

In Group H’s other fixture, Shakhtar will be look for a fourth win five matches when they visit Partizan.

Partizan have looked out-of-depth in the group stages and are yet to pick up a point after four matches.

Shaktar will look to wrap up their berth in the knockout stages with a win at the Serbian champions, rather than leave the final result up to their clash with Braga next time out.