UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE - 2017/18 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Arsenal Stadium - London Thursday 14 September 2017 21.05CET (20.05 local time) Arsenal FC Group H - Matchday 1 1. FC Köln Last updated 13/09/2017 18:17CET

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1 Arsenal FC - 1. FC Köln Thursday 14 September 2017 - 21.05CET (20.05 local time) Match press kit Arsenal Stadium, London

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• #EQUALGAME This week, football fans watching UEFA Europa League matches in stadiums, online and on TV will witness the premiere of the new UEFA RESPECT TV ads, called #EqualGame. The adverts feature Ada Hegerberg, Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba, Cristiano Ronaldo and amateur players and will run throughout the season to promote inclusion, diversity and accessibility in European Football with the motto "Everyone has the right to enjoy football, no matter who you are, where you're from, or how you play." More information on the campaign and on the advertisements can be found in the accompanying media release and on the campaign website: www.equalgame.com. Arsenal will make their UEFA Europa League debut in Group H, hoping to avoid a repeat of their last home result against Bundesliga opponents as Köln come calling. Previous meetings • The clubs are meeting for the first time in UEFA competition. • Arsenal's record in 36 games against Bundesliga sides is W16 D6 L14 (W11 D1 L6 at home). They have lost five of their last seven home matches against German teams. • Köln's record in 12 encounters with English clubs is W2 D4 L6 (D2 L3 in England) Form guide • Arsenal were beaten 5-1 at home by Köln's domestic rivals Bayern in their last European home fixture, in last season's UEFA Champions League round of 16. • Köln have lost only one of their last five European away games (W3 D1 L1) – though all of those matches were played in the 1990s. • Arsenal are making their UEFA Europa League group stage debut; their last appearance in this competition was the 2000 UEFA Cup final, which they lost on penalties to Galatasaray. • Runners-up in the two-legged 1986 UEFA Cup final, Köln are back in Europe for the first time in 20 years; their only previous group campaigns were in the UEFA Intertoto Cup. Links and trivia • The journey from to London is around 500km. • Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny is serving a one-match suspension for this game. • Köln's Marco Höger (2015–16) and Christian Clemens (2013–16) played alongside Arsenal's Sead Kolašinac at Schalke in Germany. • Arsenal's Per Mertesacker, Shkodran Mustafi and Mesut Özil are all German, while Granit Xhaka (Mönchengladbach 2012–16), Francis Coquelin (Freiburg 2013–14) and Kolašinac (Schalke 2012–17) have Bundesliga experience. • Arsenal fans may remember with fondness that Köln inflicted an 8-0 defeat on their north London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur in the 1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup – Spurs' worst result in European football. The coaches • Arsène Wenger has been Arsenal boss since 1996, leading the Gunners to three English titles, seven FA Cups and the 2006 UEFA Champions League final. An unremarkable player, he made his name as a coach with Nancy and Monaco in his native France. • Peter Stöger has guided Köln back into Europe for the first time in 20 years. A four-time league champion – and 65- times capped international – as a player in his native Austria, he moved to Köln after steering Austria Wien to the 2012/13 title.

2 Arsenal FC - 1. FC Köln Thursday 14 September 2017 - 21.05CET (20.05 local time) Match press kit Arsenal Stadium, London Legend Competitions

Club competitions National team competitions UCL: UEFA Champions League EURO: UEFA European Football Championship ECCC: European Champion Clubs' Cup WC: FIFA World Cup UEL: UEFA Europa League CONFCUP: FIFA Confederations Cup UCUP: UEFA Cup FRIE: Friendly internationals UCWC: UEFA Cup Winners' Cup U21FRIE: Under-21 friendly internationals SCUP: UEFA Super Cup U21: UEFA European Under-21 Championship UIC: UEFA Intertoto Cup U17: UEFA Under-17 Championship ICF: Inter-Cities Fairs Cup U16: UEFA European Under-16 Championship U19: UEFA Under-19 Championship U18: UEFA European Under-18 Championship WWC: FIFA Women's World Cup WEURO: UEFA European Women's Championship Competition stages Other abbreviations F: Final GS: Group stage (aet): After extra time pens: Penalties GS1: First group stage GS2: Second group stage No.: Number og: Own goal 3QR: Third qualifying round R1: First round ag: Match decided on away P: Penalty R2: Second round R3: Third round goals agg: Aggregate R4: Fourth round PR: Preliminary round Pld: Matches played AP: Appearances SF: Semi-finals QF: Quarter-finals Pos.: Position Comp.: Competition R16: round of 16 QR: Qualifying round Pts: Points D: Drawn R32: Round of 32 1QR: First qualifying round R: Sent off (straight red card) DoB: Date of birth 1st: first leg 2QR: Second qualifying Res.: Result ET: Extra Time round sg: Match decided by silver GA: Goals against 2nd: second leg FT: Final tournament goal t: Match decided by toss of a PO: Play-off ELITE: Elite round coin Rep: Replay 3rdPO: Third-place play-off GF: Goals for W: Won PO - FT: Play-off for Final GS-FT: Group stage – final gg: Match decided by golden Y: Booked Tournament tournament goal L: Lost Y/R: Sent off (two yellow Nat.: Nationality cards) N/A: Not applicable f: Match forfeited Statistics -: Denotes player substituted +: Denotes player introduced *: Denotes player sent off +/-: Denotes player introduced and substituted Squad list D: Disciplinary *: Misses next match if booked S: Suspended QUAL: All UEFA qualifiers UEL: Current season total UEFA Europa League appearances from the group stage onwards prior to the current matchday UEL: Total appearances in the UEFA Europa League, group stage to final only UEFA: All-time total appearances in UEFA club competition including qualifying Disclaimer: Although UEFA has taken all reasonable care that the information contained within this document is accurate at the time of publication, no representation or guarantee (including liability towards third parties), expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, reliability or completeness. Therefore, UEFA assumes no liability for the use or interpretation of information contained herein. More information can be found in the competition regulations available on UEFA.com.

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