Arsenal players are all smiles as Granit Xhaka travels to former club FC Basel in ’emotional’ Champions League return
Granit Xhaka posed for a selfie with Alexis Sanchez and Mohamed Elneny whilst on the plane to Switzerland
ARSENAL players were in good spirits as they departed England for their Champions League group game against FC Basel.
Midfielder Granit Xhaka says it will be an "emotional" return to Basel as it is the club where he started his career in 2010.
The Gunners have already qualified for the knock out stages of the elite tournament but they will be fighting for all three points in Switzerland as they look to top Group A ahead of Paris Saint-Germain.
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Arsene Wenger's side go into the match in good form after thrashing West Ham 5-1 at the London Stadium after a mesmerising hat-trick from Alexis Sanchez.
Arsenal are unbeaten in Europe so far this season after winning three of their five matches - with just two draws coming up against PSG.
Tuesday night's match will also see Xhaka come up against his own brother Taulant in Tuesday's match.
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Ahead of his return to St Jakob-Park, Xhaka had a touching message to the club where he had a two year spell, where he made 42 appearances.
He said: "The most important step of all is the first step.
"It is so difficult to describe how it feels returning in the stadium where I was born as a football player.
"A unique emotion playing home."