Arsenal Handed Uncertain Champions League Fate Against Fenerbahce

On paper, Arsenal have not been treated kindly by the Champions League playoff draw as they aim for a 15th successive appearance in the group stage.

The Gunners have been paired with Fenerbahce in the final qualifying round, with Arsene Wenger's side travelling to Turkey for the first leg on Wednesday Aug. 21.

The second leg at the Emirates Stadium will be played the following week, by which time Fenerbahce will know if they are even still in the competition or not.

The Turkish side were banned from UEFA tournaments for two years by the European governing body in June for match-fixing in domestic competition, as BBC Sport reported.

However, Fenerbahce and Besiktas, who were also suspended by UEFA, have taken their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and were reinstated to the Champions League until a ruling is made.

CAS is set to deliver its verdict on the fate of Fenerbahce on Aug. 28, which is the day after the second leg.

So Arsenal are facing an unusual playoff conundrum as they attempt to reach the lucrative group stage, and UEFA claims no decision has been made on what will happen if Fenerbahce are removed from the competition, as Thom Drake of the Daily Mail reported.

But Wenger and his team must not be complacent as they prepare for the two-legged tie.

The Gunners have suffered a disappointing summer, with major transfer targets such as Gonzalo Higuain moving to Napoli rather than the Emirates.

The chase for Liverpool striker Luis Suarez remains ongoing, although Reds owner John W. Henry insists the Uruguay international will not be sold to anyone, especially not a rival for a Champions League spot, as Chris Bascombe of the Daily Telegraph reported.

Failing to sign Suarez would underline a miserable summer in the transfer market for Arsenal, but missing out on the lucrative group stage would leave Wenger under serious pressure with the Premier League campaign in its infancy.

History, though, will be on Arsenal's side in the tie. The Gunners have never lost to the Turkish club in four European matches.

Wenger guided his team to an excellent 5-2 win in Turkey during the 2008-09 Champions League group stage after drawing the home encounter 0-0.

Arsenal's first encounter with Fenerbahce finished in a 2-0 aggregate win for the Gunners on their way to the European Cup Winners' Cup final in the 1979-80 season, where they were beaten on penalties by Valencia.

Fenerbahce possess a number of familiar faces for the Gunners, with former Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt and ex-Chelsea midfielder Raul Meireles now plying their trade at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium.

However, the onus rests on Arsenal and not the law courts to ensure that the Champions League group stage is a feature of the forthcoming campaign.