Arsenal make their return to European action on Thursday night as they host Swiss opposition in FC Zurich at the Emirates Stadium. The clash will mark the end of the group stages, with the Gunners going nearly perfect, but with plenty still to play for when the game kicks off.
Mikel Arteta's men currently sit top of group A, but they need to match or better the result of PSV Eindhoven on the night to ensure they secure that position. While finishing first would often give a more favourable draw, a change in the format means the team now gets a bye into the round of 16.
As for those finishing second, they must compete in the round of 32 and will face one of eight teams dropping from this year's Champions League groups. While there will be the desire to skip playing any extra fixtures, the possibility of playing European giants such as Barcelona, Juventus or Ajax also creates an incentive to finish top.
