With Arsenal hosting Besiktas in the second leg of the Champions League play-off at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, Mesut Ozil is ready to make a difference for his side.
Arsenal have made it to the group stages of the Champions League for 16 consecutive seasons and Mesut Ozil is ready to make it a 17th with a win at home to Besiktas on Wednesday night.
The Gunners had previously been on a 13-match winning streak in Champions League play-off qualifying matches until drawing 0-0 with the Turkish outfit in last Tuesday’s first-leg, leaving them in a dangerous position going into their imminent matchup.
With qualification a must for a club of their stature, Arsene Wenger’s side will need Ozil to be at his best in order to thwart their opposition, having been lacking a clear creative spark during the stalemate in Istanbul.
Following an extended break after Germany’s World Cup success, the 25-year-old looked somewhat off the pace in his season debut against Everton on the weekend, with his performance in the 2-2 draw coming in for criticism from some sections of the club’s fans.
| Team | Pos | Goal Assist | Total Att Assist | Total Pass | Pass Acc | Final Third Entries | Touches | Poss Lost All | Apps | Mins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesut Özil | Arsenal | MF | 0 | 2 | 65 | 86.15% | 7 | 76 | 15 | 1 | 90 |
Nevertheless, few doubt Ozil possesses game-changing qualities, having flashed them at times during his first season in England, and a starring performance against Besiktas would no doubt reassure supporters that his second campaign at the Emirates is going to be a more prosperous one.
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