The Scotsman

‘It’s going to be like an FA Cup tie’

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Ostersunds boss Graham Potterhasl­ikenedthes­wedish club’s Europa League clash with Arsenal to a traditiona­l third-round FA Cup tie.

The Gunners travel to snowy Sweden tonight looking to set themselves up for progressio­n into the last 16 of the competitio­n. In their way are Ostersunds, managed by Englishman Potter, who have been on a fairytale adventure from lower-league minnows to the surprise package of the Europa League.

Potter took charge of the club, formed a month after Arsene Wenger was appointed Arsenal boss in 1996, seven years ago and has not looked back. Under the tutelage of the former West Bromwich Albion and Southampto­n defender, the club have risen from the fourth division to the Allsvenska­n and last April won the Svenska Cupen – their firstever major trophy.

Now they welcome Arsenal to town and, although he was keen to point out that Ostersunds have already stunned the likes of Turkish giants Galatasara­y to get this far, Potter admits it has the set-up of a classic FA Cup romance.

“In terms of the small team against the big team, absolutely,” he said when asked to compare the tie to an FA Cup match. “We are obviously all excited about the game and the visit of Arsenal.”

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