No one could have blamed Arsenal's depleted squad had they pleaded a touch of the Dennis Bergkamps and chosen not to fly to Athens at all. Travelling 1,500 miles for a match where victory will be meaningless is bad enough. Doing so without most of your first-team squad looks a recipe for a pre-Christmas stuffing.

Their manager Arsene Wenger at least brightened the mood yesterday by finally signing a 3 1/2-year extension to his contract. It was, he said, a straightforward decision despite several tempting offers to move abroad.

"I took into consideration the fact that I have a lot of players on long contracts and the fact that I am happy here," he said. "I don't want to move at the moment to a different country. I see a move after my managerial career as a director or president of a club somewhere. In England it's impossible, but in France maybe."

This evening's fixture promises to be more problematic. Of the regular cast only David Seaman and Nicolas Anelka look certain to play, though given Arsenal's injury jinx they met yet slip in the shower and join a casualty list which includes Marc Overmars, Tony Adams, Patrick Vieira, Emmanuel Petit and Nigel Winterburn.

With Lee Dixon and Ray Parlour suspended and Fredrik Ljungberg ineligible, it is probably just as well that Arsenal's hopes of reaching the quarterfinals were ended by Lens a fortnight ago. A stronger Arsenal side lost 5-0 to Chelsea in the League Cup last month.

Arsenal (possible): Seaman; Grimandi, Bould, Upson, Grondin; Vivas, Mendez, Garde, Boa Morte; Wreh, Anelka.